To Survive Myself
by Demented Ookami Hime
Summary: Kagome's time in the Sengoku Jidai is over. Now, she begins her journey in the the Soul Society and see where how she battles, grows, and finds new love in a rather unexpected place. Rated T just in case. Full summery inside.
1. Chapter 1: It's Okay To Leave It Behind

**Well, since this is my first chapter fanfic, I'm nervous as heck and felling completely scared about posting this. Ha ha, well, on with the story!**

**Kagome's time in the Sengoku Jidai is over. Now, she begins her journey in the the Soul Society and see where how she battles, grows, and finds new love in a rather unexpected place. Now the question is, does her past stay in the past or does her past some back to haunt her or does it bring her unexpected surprises?**

**Disclaimer: Looks over shoulder and feels someone sinisterly glaring at back: AH THAT'S RIGHT! I don't own Inuyasha or Bleach! See See! i admit it! Strange shadow walks away...no matter how much I did! I mean, there are some really good-looking, drool worthy….right the story! Ha ha I knew that!**

Chapter 1: Where It All Begins Again

It takes countless months to try to figure out how I ended up in this situation. I'm not sure exactly when or how, but I've finally found my way out. Maybe I should be thankful or even ecstatic, but I've found myself wishing I could go back. It was my safe haven. It was my sanctuary against the outside world. Not even that is the same anymore. My name is Kagome and this is my new story.

I had finally finished my adventure in the Sengoku Jidai. I knew there was no such thing as a pure wish. Wishes are selfish; that is their nature, otherwise they wouldn't begin with the phrase: "I wish…" It took us three years to reach this point. After the final battle, I was pulled into the Shikon no Tama. You would think it would be dark, or a meadow, something to indicate the peace the Shikon no Tama now had. No, it was a battle field littered with the bodies of many youkai. The smell of death was evident, even to my ningen nose. Standing before me, was the once proud Midoriko. I say once proud because of her appearance. Blood and gore covered her. She looked battle worn and tired from the centuries long war she had forced herself into.

"I am Midoriko, Mother of all Miko. Tell me, musume, the name of she who grants me peace."

Make no mistake, just because she was battle worn, doesn't mean it took away from her regality and majestic aura that practically demanded respect. She was the first, and that alone was enough to make all other Miko refrain from disobeying her. I got to one knee and bowed my head, "Midoriko, my name is Higurashi, Kagome."

"Rise musume." I did as she asked, "Know, now that I am at peace, the Shikon no Tama is yours to protect. I will not move on for some time so that my soul may finally rest in peace."

"Wakarimashita."

She looked at me as if trying to gage my reaction from her next statement, "You are strong." I stiffened. "I have a limited awareness of the outside world within the Tama, but I have always been able to sense my daughters. I have never felt such power, nor have I seen a soul as large as yours. Tell me, why does a part of it seem to be missing?"

I looked down, not in shame, but sadness. What she said hit deep; I am not strong, because if I was, I wouldn't be forced to walk in Kikyo's shadow. Something Inuyasha never lets me forget. I just can't argue with Midoriko, so I settled for answering her question. "Not long after I arrived, a youkai tried to bring the previous guardian back from the dead by using the ashes and soil from Kikyo's grave. As it turns out, Kikyo, the former guardian, had been reincarnated into me. When she found out, she took me and tried to bring her back with my soul. It didn't go exactly as planned, but Kikyo does walk the earth once again."

After I finished, I was forced to take a few steps back at the burst of reiki that had been released from the Bushi no Miko. "She continues to walk among seikatsu? It seems my musume has fallen far. How does she remain among the seikatsu, and for what purpose?" She reigned in her reiki as she waited for my answer.

"Kikyo lives off the tamashii of onna and kodomo." I fell to my knees clutching my chest as her reiki exploded with thrice the force of the first blast. Never have I felt such strength from anyone before. I waited as she, once more, reined her power in. It happened so fast, I started coughing. It took a minute to stop, but once it did, I thought to myself, _I'm going to hate how she reacts to Kikyo wanting to take Inuyasha to Jigoku with her._ "She walked with vengeance in her heart. Also, her former love, Inuyasha, she seeks to take him to Jigoku with her for -" I fell once again as her reiki flared for the third time, making it difficult for me to breathe. _Yeah, I knew it was going to suck._

"It seems my musume truly has fallen." She looked at me, eyes hard with suspicion, yet asking that I didn't follow the path of my predecessor, "And what of you? Do you seek vengeance as well?"

"The only thing I sought was to finish my duty. I broke the Shikon no Tama, and as such, it was my duty to make it whole. Now all I seek is to return to my home." It took me a while to catch my bearings, especially in front of my spiritual mother.

"State your wish musume, and remember, it must be pure, lest you bring back those that have finally fallen." She used her katana to point at the fallen bodies of the youkai.

"My Lady, I have no wish, for no wish is pure."

She looked at me and smiled a genuine smile, "Wise choice, musume. I shall return you to the outside world, but if ever you need, feel free to call upon the power of the Tama. You are our Guardian, and as such we will gladly serve. One final word of advice, meditate, musume, and you will be able to unlock all that you hold within. Practice your calling and never let it die. That is the duty of all who call me Okaa-san."

With yet another explosion of her power, I found myself at the bottom of the well in my time. I looked up and knew the well was forever sealed. I began to cry. I never even got to say good-bye. Doshite? I wanted to return when I was ready. I cried for hours and fell asleep in the well, the only connection I had to a past that I could never return to. That was how the found me, hours later, bloody, bruised, scratched, and tired.

I woke up the next morning to find myself completely healed, much to my amazement, and yet, somehow, I felt numb, not because I couldn't return, but because I didn't know what I was supposed to do next. How would I return to school? Would my friends keep try to hook me up with Hojo? Would I finally be able to tell them no, I don't want Hojo, because lets face it, no offense, but don't you think that after three years everyone would get the message? I guess not because they were still trying. I got over Inuyasha long ago. I knew we could never have anything. After a while, it wasn't even about him running off to Kikyo. No, it was about him never recognizing me for me. His put downs, foul language, his vulgarity; that is what finally made me let him go. I couldn't stand it. He didn't know what it did to us. Yes, we were ningen, but he didn't have to say it as if it were a disease. After a while, I thought he was more like Sesshoumaru than he wanted to believe. The only difference was that Sesshoumaru was more open about his distaste of humans and far more honorable. I knew I could never be with someone who hated my humanity; who hated his own.

I thought all this as I was getting ready for the day. The numbness eased with my thoughts as I continued my way down the stairs. "Hey, Kagome, how are you feeling," my mom asked cautiously.

"Surprisingly enough, Okaa-san, I'm okay. I thought it would hurt more, but after everything, the only thing I regret is not being able to say good-bye. I was going to leave anyways so this way, I don't have to think about their faces when I said good-bye for the last time," I said, and I really meant it. I'm okay with never going back. Although I loved the freedom and fresh air of the Sengoku Jidai, and how much I craved its wilderness and forests, I knew that this is where I belonged. This is my home and, while I may never be able to talk about it with anyone outside my family, I was okay with it because I knew the truth.

Okaa-san smiled at me, ecstatic that I was okay, "Well that's great, Kagome. Breakfast is ready, so take a seat." I did as she said and watched as she put the plate on the table. When she sat down, she looked at me with sadness, "Unfortunately, I have some bad news. Your school called and they had to expel you. There are too many absences on your record. How you managed to keep straight A's is great and I'm proud of you for that," she put her hand over mine as she continued, "but even with your excellent grades it is a little disappointing. I thought they could have at least looked past that and focused on your grades, but that didn't work, so I called all the local schools and they all said the same thing. I'm sorry, love, but, on the bright side, I found a school in the next town." She looked at me with a light in her eyes, "If it's okay with you, I think maybe you should go. You were in your last year of high school so it would be good for you."

I thought about it. It was a good thing we lived at the edge of Tokyo. "You know mama; I think that would be a good idea. It's half way through the year and I don't want to start just yet. Maybe, if it's okay with you, I could start next year. I could find myself a job to help and save up for school."

"Sweet heart, would you want to move out so you can go? I was looking for small apartments in the general area of your school and there are a couple of places that are reasonably priced. It will give you time to yourself and you could visit every weekend if you want."

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked confused.

"No love, I just think that it would be good for you to get away from the shrine and the well. I think it might hold some temptation for you and you could find a job closer to there."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea mama. Did you have a place in mind? It's not that I want to leave right away. If you do, well, whatever is easiest for you." I looked at her and smiled. I loved my mama. She was the most understanding mother in the world. I know it must have been hard on her while I kept going back and forth between the times but I think she was ok with it because she knew I needed to do it.

"Well, I found this adorable little place across the street from a clinic. Maybe you can see if they need help there." She laughed, "With all the bandaging you had to do in the Sengoku Jidai, I bet you would make a great help."

I laughed. She was right. I practically learned how to be a doctor, what with all the battles we went through. The bandaging and stitching, not to mention I could open an herbalist shop with all the things Kaede taught me. It brought a small pang of sadness at the thought of the elderly Miko that I had come to love as my baa-san. Her kind ways always helped me in my time of need. I brightened up at the thought that she had taught me all she knew in the three years that I was with them. In all that time, she had been amazed at how quickly and how far I had progressed. It brought a smile to my face as I thought of how proud she would be at knowing I would never let her knowledge die with me.

I quickly brought myself out of my thoughts and answered my mother, "Sure, mama, that sounds like a great place to live. We should go check it out."

My mother looked away sheepishly and laughed nervously, "Funny you should mention that."

I looked at her with fake suspicion, "Mama, what's going on?"

"Well, they were having a viewing today and I thought it would be the perfect chance to go. It's not too far away and there's no school, I was going to take you to check it out today."

I laughed, "Oh, mama, you had the entire thing planned out didn't you?" I shook my head as she smiled brightly and nodded. "Are Souta and Jii-chan coming with us?"

"No, it's just us girls. Souta was going to a friend's house for the weekend and your Jii-chan found a shrine that he wanted to visit, said something about learning what legends they had and comparing notes. Needless to say, he'll be gone till the end of the week."

I looked at her, only she could manage to convince everyone to do what she wanted and make it look like it was their idea. I laughed reminding myself of how I had to deal with Inuyasha. Since he didn't like being bossed around, I would give subtle hints about what to do. Then, he would come out with my original idea like he thought if it himself. It gave our friends a lot of amusement when it happened. Situations like this came around sometimes when Sesshoumaru appeared and with the look he gave me after, I must say, I think he was impressed. All this made me laugh, "How do they ever find anything new to talk about? Don't all the shrines–wait, does Jii-chan tell my stories when he goes to other shrines?" I looked at my mother in mocked horror at the thought of Jii-chan trying to sound like he actually knew what he was talking about. Then I couldn't help but burst out laughing. It seems that my mom caught the same train of thought as me because she joined in the laughter. "I wish–" I stopped suddenly. "No I don't wish."

I said it so quickly and seriously that my mother looked at me with a frown, "Kagome, what's wrong?"

I looked at her with so much torture in my eyes that she almost started to panic. "I almost made a wish, mama. I almost made a wish." My hand automatically flew to the middle of my chest, where I knew the Tama had, undoubtedly, decided to lodge itself. "The Tama is still awake. Now that it is, I don't know if it will ever sleep again. As long as I don't wish for anything, then it's fine. Others can wish around me, since you have to actually hold the Tama to make a wish, but not me. I could never make wish, ever."

Mama put her hand on my shoulder and looked at me with complete understanding. I looked for other emotions, but I only found love. She was always so understanding and trying to lessen the burden, even if it meant bringing it upon her. I knew she was where I got that particular character trait from and I couldn't be more proud to have received it from her. "It is okay, Kagome, everything will turn out for the better. Can it be sealed?"

She looked at me with genuine curiosity, nothing else. She truly just wanted to know if it could be sealed, "No, mama, it can't. I tried with Kaede and Miroku, but no, its call was just as strong and its light hadn't dwindled in the slightest. We tried everything, and nothing worked. Even now that it's in me, I can feel it calling. As long as I'm in contact with it, purifying it, the youkai inside will remain dead, since their tamashii can't pass on from the Tama. I don't know how it works; they are dead, but also trapped. It's odd to think about and will only give you headaches, so don't try, Inari-sama knows I have and always needed herbs for the pain." I laughed as I thought about all the times it really did give me headaches trying to think about it. My mom just rolled her eyes at how I turned the situation from its seriousness, while I smiled in false innocence.

She laughed and shook her head, "Inari-sama, Kagome?

I looked at her and giggled, "Well, what can I say? When hanging around Shippou for three years, you tend to pick up some habits. Especially since Shippou is Kitsune, he would definitely bring Inari-sama into a lot of things. I mean really, I think Sesshoumaru was far more blessed by Bishamonten-sama than anyone. He took war and turned it into a form of art. I mean, no one should be that perfect in the heat of battle, but Sesshoumaru definitely made it possible."

She sighed at the strangeness I seemed to have contracted while in the Sengoku Jidai. "Go get ready, Kagome. Maybe we can check out the clinic while we are there."

I nodded as I got up from the table. She may have look like she thought I was crazy, but I couldn't help but notice that she seemed proud of how I started portraying myself. I think she was happy that I was not like all the other girls in my era. I know I changed drastically from when I first started traveling, but I couldn't help but think that it was definitely for the better. I became more focused on the world around me, more alert, and I had gained a better respect for myself. That had always been one of my major problems; a low self-esteem. Inuyasha didn't help me in that area. In fact, he had made it worse; always comparing me to Kikyo and never giving me a chance to prove that I was in no way the same as her. At least I had learned how to survive if ever I was stuck in such a situation. I felt proud to admit that surviving in the wild was one of the better things I learned. My archery had excelled far beyond what Kikyo could ever have accomplished; I only knew this because Kaede made it a point to tell me. My reiki, while a still a little unstable, was greater than Kikyo's reserves as well.

**A/N: well this is it! The first chapter! I hope everyone liked it! If I made any mistakes please tell me. J If you want to put flames go right ahead! Since winter is starting soon I'm going to need something to keep me warm and the flames are it! J Thank you so much for reading this!**

**I don't know when the next chapter is going to come around but ill try to get it soon! Don't worry; I have my trusty Milkshake-sama here to make sure I stay on track! *Watches as Milkshake-sama doesn't move* Uh, maybe having Milkshake-sama around might not be such i good idea. **

**Well here are the terms**:

+ **Sengoku Jidai**: Warring States Era

+ **Shikon no Tama**: Jewel of Four Souls

+ **Youkai**: Demon

+ **Ningen**: Human

+ **Bushi no Miko**: Warrior Priestess

+ **Musume**: Daughter

+ **Wakarimashita**: I understand.

+ **Reiki**: Spiritual Energy

+ **Tamashii**: Souls

+ **Onna**: Woman/women

+ **Kodomo**: Child/children

+ **Seikatsu**: the Living

+ **Jigoku**: Hell

+ **Katana**: Japanese Sword

+ **Okaa-san**: Mother

+ **Doshite?**: Why?

+ **Baa-san**: Grandmother

+ Inari (稲荷) the goddess of rice and fertility. Her messengers and symbolic animal are foxes. She is often identified with the Buddhist deity Dakiniten. *I'm going to use Inari-sama as a woman.*

+ Bishamonten (毘沙門天) also called Bishamon or Tamonten; he is the god of fortunate warriors and guards, as well as the punisher of criminals. Said to live halfway down the side of Mount Sumeru, the small pagoda he carries symbolizes the divine treasure house that he both guards and gives away its contents.


	2. Chapter 2: Where It Begins Again

**Okay, so this is chapter 2 and I'm at a total loss as to what I'm doing. I think it's the nerves, but maybe it's not…I don't know. Oh, as for the last chapter, a friend pointed out that I made a mistake with reiki, so I'm going to use reiatsu for Bleach and miko-ki for Kagome from now on. Just letting you know so that you won't be confused. Also, I know I used Okaa-san in the last chapter, but since writing it takes too long, when she talks I'm going to use mama and when its narrative, I'm going to use Okaa-san. Now, I present you with chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: Hears the sharpening of claws and looks at Milkshake-sama. I…*backs into a wall as Milkshake-sama comes closer* I don't own Inuyasha or Bleach! I promise! Milkshake-sama retracts claws and starts purring. Now on with the story! **

Chapter 2: Where It Begins Again

Okaa-san and I had taken a couple of buses to reach Karakura Town. The moment we entered the town, I noticed the air alone was heavy with reiatsu. I kept looking out the window wondering what could be exerting so much, when I heard subtle panting right next to me. "Mama, are you okay?" I asked. She looked a little pale and was holding her chest. "Mama…mama, are you okay? Look at me. What's wrong?"

"It's okay…Kagome. Just give me…a-a few minutes and …it'll go away." She managed to get out between breaths. I saw how hard she was trying to make me believe she truly was okay. Then it suddenly got worse as we reached the next bus stop, where I felt an incredible aura get onto the bus, but forgot all about it while focusing on my mother.

"Are you sure? We could go and come back another time. It doesn't have to be today." I grabbed her shoulder and panicked as she continued to grow even paler and her breathing was getting rougher and rougher. "Mama!" I turned around and noticed a boy with an aura that shocked me just as much as his bright orange hair and called out, "Hey!" He turned his attention to me with sharp, narrowed eyes, as I yelled at him, "Do you know where there are any hospitals or medical clinics in the area, my mother is sick and she needs a hospital."

His eyes widened, "Yeah." He got up and moved next to us and grabbed my Okaa-san, making her condition worsen as he picked her up and said, "Follow me. My dad's clinic happens to be around the corner of the next stop. It's a couple of blocks away."

I grabbed our things and rushed to follow after him, noticing that we had reached our stop. "How long is it going to take to get there," I asked as I ran keeping up with his incredibly fast pace, despite him holding Okaa-san.

He looked out of the corner of his eyes, "After we turn right, five houses down and we'll be there." He looked forward again and nodded his head to the right and I took it as his signal to turn. I looked at my Okaa-san as we ran, when he abruptly stopped and started screaming for his Otou-san to get a bed ready.

I briefly considered using my miko-ki but I didn't couldn't exactly reveal something like that to someone who has never seen it. I decided to just let them take care of her. I looked up as an older man, with tanned skin, spiked black hair, and an aura as strong as the guy next to me, came running out with a serious look, asking what all the commotion was about. As soon as he saw Okaa-san, he looked at the guy and started barking out orders.

From then on everything just seemed to slow down as I lost focus of the outside world and used my miko-ki to alter my eyes and see what could possibly be wrong with my Okaa-san. Unfortunately, I couldn't focus enough and started getting antsy until I heard a voice trying to catch my attention.

"Oi! Oi!"

I was startled out of my thoughts at a hand waving in front of my face, "Ara?" I looked up to see the same orange-haired boy. "Ah, gomen, I wasn't really paying attention. Can you say that again?"

He sighed and repeated his question, "The old man wants to know if she has any health conditions. He said it seemed like it was a panic attack, but when he looked at her further, he checked that idea of the list."

I looked at him straight in the eyes as I said with complete confidence, "There is absolutely nothing wrong with her, which is why this doesn't make any sense. She isn't sick. She's the healthiest person I know."

"That doesn't explain why she is having trouble breathing and chest pains," came a deeper voice that I recognized belonging to the man from earlier, "Are you sure there is nothing wrong with her? Parents don't always tell their kids-"

I shook my head interrupting him, "No, you don't understand. Even if she was sick, she couldn't hide it from me, even if she wanted to. There is nothing wrong with her. There can't be," I looked down as my eyes started tearing up. Trying to blink the tears away, I brought my hands to my face.

"It's okay. Maybe she's just stressed or something of the sort. Give her a couple of hours to see if she's okay, and if not then she might have to stay over night." He put his hand on my shoulder, trying to offer me comfort or reassurance, I couldn't tell. "Why don't you and Ichigo go out to get a bite to eat? It'll help calm down your frazzled nerves and make you feel better. Is there some way I can contact you while you're out?" By this time, he was kneeling in front of me looking every bit the kind man his aura made him out to be and I couldn't help but agree with him.

"Sure, that would be a good idea. I think I could do that." I reached into my small bag and pulled out a piece of paper, "Gomen, I don't have a pen, can I borrow one?" After getting one and scribbling down my name and cell phone number I looked at him, "If she needs anything, please call. If for some reason, she needs to take medication, can you please use organic meds or herbs if you have any? My family doesn't take well to today's medication." When they looked at me oddly, I tried my best to explain, "My family comes from a long line of Miko and Houshi. As such, we try to stay as true as we can to the medicinal remedies of our ancestors, amongst other things." I smiled.

"Well now, I wasn't expecting that. I bet your family has a lot of wonderful history."

His eyes were shining with curiosity and I couldn't help but giggle, "While we try with the medication, I'm afraid we lost it with food. My otouto and I happen to love fast food. I can't count the number of times my Jii-chan cried about how we are straying from the path of our ancestors."

He laughed and looked at his son, smacked him on the back of the head, and said, "Well? What are you waiting for, her to invite you? Go on, get out!"

Ichigo glared at his father, "Whatever old man." He looked at me with those narrowed eyes and I realized that those were just his eyes. I smiled as he led me out the door.

* * *

><p>We walked in silence as I trailed a couple paces behind him. He looked over his shoulder and called out to me, "Gomen, about your mom."<p>

I looked at him, "Thank you. She's the only parent I have left. I don't think Souta and I would be able to take losing her too."

He slowed down to match my pace, "Yeah," he seemed have been looking far into the distance distracted. At least, I thought so, until he asked, "So, are you going to tell me your name, or am I going to have to keep calling out to you with 'oi?'" He raised an eye brow and somehow that small action reminded me of Sesshoumaru. Why I thought of Sesshoumaru at all was beyond me.

"Ah, gomen, my name is Higurashi, Kagome. You can call me Kagome."

He nodded his head towards me, "Yoroshiku, Kagome. Mine is Kurosaki, Ichigo. Ichigo is fine. The old man was my dad, Isshin. So, is there something specific you would like to eat or is anything ok?"

"Anything is fine." I looked at him as he looked forward and began leading us to Kami-sama knows where. He was at least a foot taller than me, if not more, and he seemed to have a serious expression on his face, like he was trying to concentrate on something. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" I asked trying to lighten the atmosphere.

He looked at me and for a brief moment his eyes softened, "Yeah two imouto. They're twins, and as opposite as they can get. Karin is a tom-boy and plays soccer at a park not far from here. Yuzu, she does most of the cooking and loves her dolls." His voice sounded normal but I caught the shift in his aura that turned to sadness and I dropped the family subject in favor of another. "So how old are you," I asked as I grabbed my hands behind my back.

"Turned 18 not too long ago, you?" He continued looking forward and put his hands in his pockets.

I smiled as I looked at him, "Me too."

"Eh? Really? No way!" He stopped as abruptly as before, making me look at him questioningly. I saw that he wasn't focused on the conversation anymore and looked in the same direction as him only to get a rather disturbing visual of a guy with red hair, tattoos, and dressed in hippies clothes, but the thing that stood out to be most was his aura. It was so strong, that I had to slow down my breathing, and even then I could tell he was holding back most, if not all, of it. I mean, being next to Ichigo alone was difficult, but both of them started making my miko-ki flare as I did my best to stamp it down. It must have worked because neither of them paid me any attention. I sighed, _I guess Midoriko was right, I'm going to have to start meditating more often. Especially, if I plan on living here. The air is so enriched with reiatsu that it's kind of making my head spin; and that's not even mentioning the residue from past outbursts. Training in this…mess, for a lack of a better word, is going to be extremely taxing, overwhelming, and worth it in the end if I'll be able to go back to normal._

"Oi, Ichigo!"

I heard him groan as the red-head called to him, "Do you know him?" I asked quietly, hoping his answer would be no. I mean, the really, who wears that now a days? It completely clashed with the image he was projecting, causing me to picture him in clothes that would certainly be more to his style, making me blush.

Ichigo looked down at me and sighed, "Sadly, yes." He looked back up at the red-head just as he reached us, "Renji, what do you want?" His voice was bored, yet impatient.

The man, now identified as Renji, looked offended, "What's your problem? And to think I rushed all the way down here, too. Really, no respect what so ever. How do people stand being around you?"

"Oh, I don't know, I seem to manage just fine." I said making Renji turn his gaze to me.

He raised his eye brow, or was it tattoo, and, somehow, that made Sesshoumaru pop into my head again. "Oh? On a date now, are we, Ichigo? And she's a cutie, too." He smirked at me as he swung his arm over Ichigo's shoulder.

This guy reminded me too much of Kouga and I huffed, "Can we help you, or are you going to scare us with your outfit?"

Renji's smirk fell, causing Ichigo's to appear, and let go, looking offended, "Hey, I don't wear these because I like them!"

I rolled my eyes, "Of course you don't. I mean, what kind of hippie has those kinds of tattoos? You should go shopping in places that are more appropriate." I smirked.

"Oi, Ichigo, tell your woman to leave me alone. Besides," he suddenly turned serious and his expression grew dark, "I have news from Urahara. He needs to see you as soon as possible. It's important. Shinji's with him."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, "It'll have to wait; I'm a bit busy at the moment."

Renji looked like someone had just stepped on his grave, "Not as important as this. Trust me when I say, you need to get there as fast as possible. I'll look after her if you need," he nodded his head at me and continued, "but you really need to go."

Ichigo sighed, "Kagome is it okay if Renji stays with you? I need to go."

He looked me dead in the eye and I knew this was serious. Renji's aura was so serious and heavy; I thought I was going to be crushed by the weight of it. "Yeah, sure, go ahead. I'll just eat at that place down there." I pointed to a ramen shop and felt my ire rise. _It just had to be ramen, didn't it? Of course it did, first I have to worry about why mama looks like someone is sitting on her chest and now I have to worry about unwanted memories of an ungrateful hanyou and all the pain he caused me. The Fates must have it out for me. That's the only explanation that makes sense._ "I'll probably be there brooding for a couple of hours, just in case you get beck before I leave. Ano," I looked at Renji before returning my attention to Ichigo, "Does he know how to get back to the clinic?"

He let out a breath that he seemed to have been holding in, "Yeah, he knows. Don't worry; everything is going to be fine, you'll see." He turned to Renji, "Keep her occupied and don't do anything stupid. She has enough to stress about."

I felt like a toy being passed between friends and wondered if this was how Kirara felt when I asked Sango to borrow her so I could return home whenever Inuyasha managed to piss me off to the point where I wanted to throttle him. Again, this made my ire rise even more as if forced unwelcome thoughts of a certain someone that I didn't want to think about.

Renji just nodded as Ichigo took off running down the street in the same direction that Renji had come from. Turning to me, he spoke, "So, your name is Kagome?" I nodded and he continued, "I'm Abarai, Renji. Yoroshiku. Now about that ramen shop, shall we?"

He looked like a fish out of water and I sighed, _this is going to be a long day._ "Arigato, Abarai-san." As we began walking we began walking I couldn't help but notice his mind was not with me but with whatever important thing Ichigo had to go to. "You know, Abarai-san," he looked at me, "If you keep making such a serious expression, your face will get stuck that way."

He laughed, clearly not expecting that, "I highly doubt that."

"No, really, I knew this one man who never made a facial expression, and when the time came for him to finally be able to do so, his muscles didn't know how." I laughed thinking about how Sesshoumaru would probably lop my head off if he were to hear my using him like this.

"Oh, you can't be serious?"

"Completely. Such a shame too, I bet he would have been even more handsome if he smiled." Wishful thinking, wanting to see Sesshoumaru smile. _Okay, what is wrong with me. Why am I thinking of Sesshoumaru, of all people? Sure, he was finally able to tolerate us in the time leading up to the final battle but why him? Ugh, too much time on my hands equals too much brooding._

"Hey, I don't need to hear Ichigo's girlfriend talking about another guy."

"I'm not his girlfriend, I just met him. My mom is at his clinic and his dad suggested that he take me out to eat. Help me get my mind off my mom. Which obviously isn't working, seeing as he isn't here and I can't stop thinking about her. Not only that, unwanted…never mind. So, how do you know Ichigo?"

He stayed quiet as we took our seats and didn't answer till after I placed my order, "He helped out a good friend of mine. My boss' little sister. We met through her, and before you ask, it's not my place to go around telling other people's stories. How they met is their business."

I nodded, accepting the answer knowing I wasn't going to get anymore answers out of him. Especially when his aura seemed to get guarded when I asked my question. "Works for me."

We stopped talking as my food came and I started eating. Unfortunately, half way through my meal, I felt a spike in reiatsu and jumped out of my seat only to hear Renji curse. After telling me to stay put, he took off.

I looked around and saw how no one seemed to notice what had just happened. I thanked Kami-sama that I had learned concealment spells from Kaede. After being attacked one night in my era, I had taken to always carrying my weapons everywhere. It was easy enough to dismiss at school since I had decided to join the archery club; but during other times, it wasn't exactly legal for me to carry them around. I grabbed my small bag and ran out the door lifting the concealment spell, revealing my archery case.

I followed the residual path left over by Renji and found myself at a small park, catching a glimpse the most hideous youkai I had ever seen, before it ran off. _Oh, Kami-sama._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, so there's chapter 2. I hope you like it! Hmmm. Yupps, well, Milkshake-sama is sleeping right now so she wasn't any help this time around, but I shall try to have the next chapter as soon as I can and have Milkshake-sama conscious so that she can help me. Please R & R! I'd really appreciate it!**

**Oi: **It's kind of like saying "hey!" It's a way to get one's attention.

**Ara:** Huh?

**Gomen:** Sorry.

**Houshi:** Monk

**Otouto:** Little Brother

**Yoroshiku:** Nice to meet you.

**Kami-sama: **God or Gods


	3. Chapter 3: Caught Red Handed

**Disclaimer: sees samurai pop out of nowhere holding his sword out infront of him. WTH! I DON'T OWN BLEACH OR INUYASHA! *Runs in circles screaming: "Spare me!"***

**Here you go! I now present you with chapter 3!**

Chapter 3: Caught Red-Handed

I couldn't keep my eyes off of it as I stayed in the shadows of the trees. It's black body had tentacles coming out of it at random places. The body itself was a writhing mass of parts. The head was the only thing I could make out with certainty. Even then, looking at the _thing_, for that was the only word that seemed appropriate, was disgusting. I had seen many youkai in the past, but this; this made the most hideous look ethereal. Its face was a white, oval mask, with a horn in the middle of its forehead that curved back reaching the middle of its neck. The mask had this slits where the eyes should be, and the mouth; the mouth was open and had barbs on jagged teeth. There were red slash marks diagonally across it's face. I noticed a hole in the middle of the mass, wondering how the it was surviving, until I realized that it wasn't bleeding. The whole seemed to be a part of the youkai; as if, that's how it was supposed to be. That's when I heard it. The scream it let out was deafening, sounding like a dying Tori Youkai. My ears hurt just listening to it.

My eyes widened as I saw Renji in a black outfit. Using his sword, he attacked the youkai with vigor. _Kama-sama, it's disgusting! _I pulled out my bow and arrows. After notching my arrow, I strung my bow; watching and waiting for a chance to release my arrow. When I found my chance, I released my arrow with my mantra of "hit the mark" and saw my arrow flare with my miko-ki. Instead of the usual, "blown to dust," my arrow was absorbed, but not once did it diminish in strength.

* * *

><p>Renji froze, then began looking around frantically for the source of the arrow as soon as he felt a fluctuation in reiatsu. He watched wide-eyed as the arrow was absorbed. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought it was a Quincy, but he knew better and that was no Quincy arrow. That arrow had a solid form. The reiatsu coming from that arrow was incredible. Enough so, that he had to take a step back or risk being affected. He watched with fascination as the arrowed was absorbed.<p>

* * *

><p>We both waited for a result. <em>It's not working. Why isn't it working! Don't tell me it's immune to my miko-ki? How the hell is a youkai immune to miko-ki?<em>

Suddenly, in the hole of the youkai, a blue arrow appeared and shone with vigor. It continued to shine brighter and the youkai was being purified from its hole outwards. Then the last of the ash fell, I turned to Renji as he sheathed his sword. I noticed him looking, with narrowed eyes, at the same spot where the youkai had been standing. _Since he was fighting this…thing, maybe he can give me an explanation as to what just happened. _We began walking at the same time and I saw him walk to where he had been looking, only for him to pick a charred arrow. My eyes widened when I saw it was my arrow that he grabbed.

I ran, calling out to him, "Oi, Abarai-san! Abarai-san!"

He turned quickly with wide eyes, "What the hell? You can see me?"

I huffed, insulted, but felt the need to reply, "No, I'm talking to the invisible person next to you. Of course I'm talking to you, who else is here?"

He looked peeved, "But normal ningen aren't supposed to be able to see me! So, how can you?" He looked at me suspiciously.

"You assume I'm a normal ningen. What does that make you?" I looked the hand clutching my arrow. "Can I have that back? It's mine." I reached for it without waiting for his reply. I studied the arrow carefully. What looked like char wasn't. The arrow had turned black and had taken the characteristics of the youkai it had purified. My eyes narrowed as I looked at the, now white, arrowhead. The red slash marks I had seen on the mask, were now prominently displayed on the arrowhead. _Well, this is new._

He looked at me incredulously, "You fired that arrow? Wait, since when did you have that?" He pointed at the archery case I had returned my weapons to.

"I've had it on me the whole time. You haven't answered my question: what does that make you?" It was my turn to look at him with suspicion.

He looked at me carefully, trying to see if it was worth telling me the truth. I shifted my eyes once more to his aura and saw it layered with death. That's not to say that he was dying. No, far from it. In fact, his aura seemed to proclaim that he was death, or at least a messenger. "It's useless to lie to me," I said as my miko-ki released my eyes before he caught their change.

I didn't think it was possible, but his eyes narrowed even further and his aura became sharper. "I'm a Shinigami."

I looked at him skeptically, "Shinigami? You expect me to believe you are a Shinigami?"

He smirked, "Believe it or not, but it's the truth. So, what about you, Miss I'm-not-a-normal-ningen?"

I sighed, "I'm a miko."

He laughed loudly and it made my heart flutter just slightly and my eyes narrow. _What the hell? No way, not an idiot who can't even dress properly. _He spoke up interrupting my thoughts, "Miko? They died out hundreds of years ago. There are no miko in this time. Miko, that's a good one, but seriously, what are you? I'd say Quincy, but you used a real arrow and not an arrow made of reiatsu. Plus, Quincy are nearly-"

He was interrupted by a song I recognized as my ring tone. I pulled it out and answered, "Moshi moshi?"

"Hello? Kagome? This is Kurosaki, Isshin. Your mother is at my clinic. I think you need to get back here as soon as you can. There's been a slight complication."

I grew pale and hung up and immediately put the arrow in my case with the others. Completely forgetting the concealment spell, I turned back to Renji, demanding, "Do you know how to get to the Kurosaki clinic?" When he nodded his head, I told him to take me. "Run, I don't have time to idly walk!"

Running, he led me back to the clinic. The atmosphere was tense and I wasn't about to waste time talking.

* * *

><p>When we reached the small clinic, I saw Isshin standing outside waiting for us. "What's wrong? Is she okay? Did she get worse?" I couldn't help but panic as I was firing question after question.<p>

"Okay, calm down. It was only a slight complication. Panicking isn't going to help her and you'll end up in the bed right next to her. Breathe." He waited for me to calm down, which I finally did and he continued, "Not to long ago, her condition suddenly worsened but for a brief second, she was completely fine then she went back to the way she was when you first brought her in."

"I need to see her."

He nodded and looked over my shoulder finally noticing Renji and spoke as he led us to my mother, "Oh, Renji, what are you doing here? Where's that worthless son of mine?"

"Oh, Urahara needed him. It was," he hesitated and I knew he was looking at me even though I couldn't see his eyes, "Important. Shinji was there too." Isshin seemed to have accepted that answer, making me curious as to what was so important.

Stopping in front of my mother's room, he gestured for me to go through, closing the door after I did. Walking to my mom's bed I looked at her suffering, "Mama? Can you talk?" When she turned to me, I help back a gasp. She looked deathly pale, her eyes holding so much pain. "Kurosaki-san said that for a moment you felt better. I think I know why. Do you mind if I try something?" She smiled and nodded.

The moment I opened my case her condition worsened considerably but I didn't have time to contemplate why. I grabbed a new arrow with one hand, put a small amount of my miko-ki into it and put the arrow in her hand, waving my other to return the concealment spell. The moment she touched my arrow, she took a deep breath and her color was returning. She seemed to have been reverting back to her normal self right before my eyes.

"How are you feeling mama?"

"Much better Kagome. I think being in contact with your miko-ki is helping me."

"Thank Inari-sama. I thought it would; okay more like I was hoping it would. The moment we entered this town, I felt reiatsu permeating the air. The very town is soak in it. I think you are too sensitive and reacted badly to so much reiatsu."

She nodded agreeing with me. "I think we are going to have to go buy me a bracelet or necklace that you can bless so I can walk around normally in this town. Maybe something for Souta, too. With Jii-chan, you can just get him an omamori from the shrine and tell him to wear that after you bless it."

I smiled at seeing her back to her normal self. "That's a good idea mama. Maybe we can do that while we're here. As long as you're carrying that arrow you should be fine. I'm going to go get Kurosaki-san. Maybe we can leave after he's seen to you. Get some rest while I go talk to him."

She smiled as I got up and walked to the door. I looked back at her before I open the door and smiled.

* * *

><p>I closed the door behind me and saw a little girl with light brown hair sitting on the bench with her hands in her lap.<p>

"Ano, Is Kurosaki-san around? I need to talk to him."

"Eh? Oh, otou-san, went to get a couple of things. He should be on-" she looked to the left and pointed, "Oh, he's back. I'll be off otou-san. I have to make dinner." She walked off leaving me with Isshin and Renji, who I noticed was behind him.

"My mom says she's feeling better. I was wondering if we could leave after you check her over."

He looked surprised, "Oh? She's feeling better? That's great, but kind of strange. Well, let's go take a look, shall we?"

When we returned back to my mom's side, I called her, "Mama, we're here."

She turned her head, smiling, and sat up, both hands hold the arrow for dear life, "Oh, hello."

"Hello, I didn't get to introduce myself earlier,. My name is Kurosaki, Isshin You weren't conscious when they brought you in. May I get your name?"

"Oh!" She released the arrow with one hand bringing it to her chest, "How rude of me, my name is Higurashi, Mizuki. Gomen, Kurosaki-san, if I troubled you too much." She smiled her radiant, yet kind, smile.

"Well, Higurashi-san, I'm going to kick these kids out and give you a quick check up. If everything turns out okay, then you're more than free to go." He turned his head to us with and eye brow raised and my eye twitched with yet another thought of Sesshoumaru. He looked at us expectantly and we rushed out the door, but not before a gave my mom a small kiss on her cheek.

* * *

><p>"That's a lovely daughter you have there Higurashi-san."<p>

"Ah, arigato, Kurosaki-san. I try, but I fear that she will be leaving me once again, soon enough."

"She left you? She doesn't seem like the type."

"No, she isn't but she had to leave a while back and I was scared and prayed everyday for her safe return. There are just some things that children need to do without their parents and that was one of them. She has become an exceptional young lady in the process."

He looked down finally noticing the arrow he missed throughout the entire exam, "Did you have that with you earlier?"

"Eh? Oh this," she lifted the arrow, "Kagome gave it to me when she returned."

"Why would she give you an arrow?"

* * *

><p>"So, your mom is doing better?" Renji looked at me with a lost expression on his face.<p>

I grinned, "Oh yeah, she's back to her normal self. I thank Izanagi-sama that he saw fit to continue her life and Izanami-sama that she saw fit not to take her from us. Arigato. You know, for bringing me here. I shouldn't have yelled at you but I got scared. She's the only parent I had left."

He seemed startled at what I told him and I couldn't help but be pleased. "No, it's okay. It caught me off guard, is all. Don't worry about it. I'm glad she's doing better. So, since you didn't know how to get here, it's safe to guess that you're not from around here. Where are you from?"

I chuckled at him being a little uncomfortable, "I live in Tokyo. We were on our way to check out a few apartments. So, Shinigami-san, what exactly do you do?"

* * *

><p>"Well, I see no reason as to why you can't leave, but here," he handed her a card before continuing, "If there is anything that goes wrong, please call. I don't want you to relapse and panic. Do you live in the area, maybe my son's friend can help you home."<p>

Mizuki shook her head and smiled, "We were visiting from Tokyo. My daughter is planning on moving out and we were looking for a small apartment for her."

"Moving out? Ah, this is one of those things that children have to do without their parents right?" Isshin laughed.

She giggled in response, "In a way yes. She missed a lot of school her last couple of years and the school finally had to expel her. She's a straight A student, but with her absences, they just got fed up. I found a school here that would accept her, so we were trying to find a place closer to the school." Her eyes, though bright with laughter and mirth, seemed distant and reminiscing. Holding back years of pain and worry.

"Oh, really? If you'd like, she could stay with us. We have plenty of room and she could work here at the clinic after school. Kami knows I need the help. One of my son's friends stays with us and I'm sure my daughters wouldn't mind one more person in the house."

"Oh my, no Kurosaki-san, I could never impose my daughter on you! You're such a nice person, but I think Kagome needs to live alone for now. She needs the peace and quiet. That's one of the reasons I don't mind her moving out."

"That's no problem, I hear the apartments across the street have some vacancies. And if she needs a job, she's welcome here anytime. I really could use the extra help. My son's friends always seem to be getting into trouble. I hope they could at least become friends."

Mizuki couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation, "The apartments were exactly where we were heading. It's a good thing too. It seems that the Fates have planned this out from the beginning."

Isshin Kurosaki was a puzzled man indeed.

* * *

><p>"You have got to be kidding me?" I couldn't help but laugh, <em>and I thought my story was crazy. I think I'm going to enjoy living here if I find a place.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you for reading this chapter and i hope it was as good as the previous 2, if not then please review telling me what was wrong with it. But if you liked it. please review as well telling what you liked! This will help me improve the quality of the story! Thank you again!**

+ **Tori Youkai:** Bird Demon

+** Shinigami:** Death God

+ **Moshi moshi:** It's a Japanese greeting when first answering a phone. It's like saying "Hello?"

+ **Omamori:** It's a charm. Different charms are for different things. Like good luck charms and charms for success and good health.

+ **Otou-san:** Father.

+ **Mizuki:** "Beautiful Moon"

+ **Izanagi:** The forefather of the gods, he is the first male as well as the god of creation and life. His wife is Izanami.

+ **Izanami: **Izanagi's wife and sister, she is the first female as well as the goddess of creation and death.

- A marital spat between the pair caused the cycle of life and death for all living beings.


	4. Chapter 4: Long Awaited Calling

**Disclaimer: I own Inuyasha and Bleach! Woohoo! Sees ghosts and ghouls. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! No, I don't! I don't own either of them, I swear!" *Runs away screaming like a five year-old.***

Chapter 4: Long Awaited Calling

I turned, hearing the door open, "Mama, ready to go?"

"Kagome, you won't believe how funny this whole thing is."

"Mama, I don't think there is anything funny about you being here because it seemed like something was sitting on you chest." I gave her a stern look.

"It's where we ended up, sweetheart. It turns out that this was the clinic I was telling you about. The apartments are right across the street." Still clutching my arrow, she pointed to the floor, making her point.

I deadpanned. _You have got to be kidding me. There's no way. There just can't be. Oh the irony is too much. The Fates really do pay extra-close attention to me. Normally, one would be thrilled, but in this case, I'd rather fall amongst the masses of the unknown._ "Now I'm confused."

"Isn't this great?"

"I guess…so, what's going to happened now?" Renji took this as his chance to get away but didn't make it very far when I snatched him by the arm and glared, "You're lucky I have stuff to do." He smirked and walked off. Turning back to the others, I patiently waited for some form of answer.

"We check out the apartments." She smiled her innocent smile and I knew that this was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>"I think this might be the place, Kagome. What do you think?"<p>

I couldn't help but laugh, "This is the first place we checked. I think this is where you want me to be. Don't get me wrong, mama, I like it. It's not too small, it's not too big, but I think you want me near Kurosaki-san. Why is that I wonder?" I teased.

"Oh, but Kagome, didn't I tell you? He offered you a job if you wanted one. He said he needed help at the clinic, and with your experience, I think it would be a wonderful idea."

I was shocked to say the least, "He offered me a job? Are you serious? Why? Don't misunderstand, I'm grateful, but why?" The suspicious look on my face made her laugh.

"Parents talk about their children, Kagome. As such, I talked about you. You're an amazing young woman and I told him as much. Just think about it." She sighed and continued browsing the living room. "I think this is where you're meant to be. Don't you agree?" She had this look of otherworldly knowledge in her eyes, "I mean, otherwise, Kurosaki-san's son wouldn't have been the one to help us. Who knows what would have happened. All I do know is that he got on that bus for a reason; just as it was his father's clinic that we went to; just as this was the apartment across the street. This also happened to be the first place we were going to check." She had that air around her that she sometimes got. I wondered, not for the first time, if she had been especially blessed by Omoikane-sama. "Don't tell me, Kagome, that after everything you've been through that you don't believe this simple meeting was Fate."

"No, you're right, mama." I smiled, "I think this place is perfect, but, does it have to be this room? All my" I stole a glance at the landlady before continuing with my thought, "Things aren't going to fit in here. You know I collected a lot on my trips."

"Ah, that's right. I didn't think you were going to take everything."

"Well, I wouldn't want to chance Souta getting into my things. He's far too curious for his own good. With everything Sesshoumaru-sama gave me, I think I'm going to need more than one bedroom." My gaze shifted back to the landlady, "You wouldn't happen to have anything bigger, would you?"

Her eyes shifted every few seconds, "Well, we do. It is three bedrooms, but I don't think it would be a good idea. If you'd like to see it, please follow me." As she led us out, Okaa-san and I exchanged worried looks.

"Is there something wrong with that room, Nishimura-san?"

Nishimura-san nodded, "Yes, I've been trying to rent that apartment out for years. Unfortunately, no one wants it. The last tenant that lived there was brutally murdered ten years ago. Although, he wasn't home when it happened, he seems to have attached himself to the apartment. Others won't stay there for more than a day and leave saying it's haunted. If you want that place, I will give it to you for half the price of the one we were just in." Our eyes widened. _I don't care if the place is haunted, I'll take it. The other room wasn't that expensive, but this is great._ She gestured to the door on her left. "I'm not going in with you. Even I can feel the animosity just by walking in front of the door."

"Mama, can I go in alone?" She seemed hesitant at first but the look in my eyes told her I knew exactly what I was doing. After all, with Miroku's fake exorcisms, and the real ones, I really did know what I was doing. I wasn't a true Miko for nothing. She relented with a small nod. "Okay, I'll be out when I'm finished browsing. Although, hearing that it's haunted, makes me want to move in right away." I laughed at remembering all the times the pack ended sleeping in a place that truly was haunted. _Ah, good times, good times._

Once inside, I realized what was felt on the outside didn't even begin to cover the true extent of the aura inside. _Oh, wow, am I glad I told mama to stay outside. This is horrible. It's not hatred either. I've never felt so much sorrow and resentment, and that's saying something._ I looked at the decent sized living room, and went on to the kitchen. It wasn't extravagant, but it was the perfect size for me. I always loved cooking, but being in the Sengoku Jidai, gave me some rather killer recipes that I loved and made as often I possibly could. I peered through a doorway leading to the hall, making sure a ghost of some sort wouldn't pop out at me. _It wouldn't be the first time. _As I moved on to the last bedroom at the end of the hall, I was amazed. It wasn't big, but it was ideal. _It's bigger than the one at home! Who would have thought? I am so going to use that for me. _The restroom came next and I squealed in delight at what I saw. _A bathtub! Oh, now I know I have to get this place._

The last two rooms weren't as large as the first, but they would hold all the things I'd acquired in the Sengoku Jidai. _I brought over a couple of things specifically so I could sell them. If I sell on or two, I would be able to afford new furniture, and some things for the kitchen. Oh, this is great. I guess it's time to tell them my decision. I can't wait._

* * *

><p>Once I reached Okaa-san and the landlady I left behind, I was practically glowing with excitement. Catching Okaa-san's questioning gaze, I nodded my head vigorously. Then proceeded to enlighten them, "Oh, mama, it's absolutely perfect. I love it. You were right; this is where I'm supposed to be."<p>

"Well, Nishimura-san, shall we get the paperwork filled out?" Okaa-san smiled as she questioned Nishimura-san.

"Are you sure? Many people have run away from this place." Looking at our confident faces seemed to have been the only answer that she needed. "Okay, let's return to my office, Higurashi-san"

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I have my own place. Thank you, mama."<p>

"I'm glad you're so excited, Kagome. Do you need me to get you anything?"

"You mean, for the ritual? No, I'll be fine. I always keep extra sutra in my case. Miroku made it a mission to make sure I always had at least seven on me. It's a habit that I haven't broken, although, one I don't intend to. At least I know how to make more if the need arises. No, right now we need to go shopping for yours and Souta's things.

* * *

><p>After we reached the shops, we entered a couple of stores, where nothing really stood out. "Is there something specific you're looking for, mama? I know there were things in that last store that you would really like."<p>

She gave me the same look she had when she was talking about my being fated to live in that apartment. "Nothing has called out to me. This is something I'm going to wear everyday for the rest of my life. I want something that is going to call out to me; not something I'll like at the moment."

"Mama, I can always bless something else. You don't need to worry about it."

Keeping the same look, she said to me in the most honest and unyielding voice with absolute conviction that seemed to reach my soul, "Not this time, Kagome. This is something that I will have to wear everyday. Once I put it on, it's never coming off. The same goes for Souta and Jii-chan. Once you do this, it's permanent."

Knowing that when Okaa-san spoke like this, there was nothing I could say against it. She's only ever spoken to me like that twice; each time, I knew I had to listen to her.

The first was the day Otou-san disappeared. Otou-san and I had gotten into a fight the night before. I was five and Souta had just been born. I had said some things that children say to their parents when they get upset. And he looked at me with disappointment. That morning, as I was getting ready for school, when Okaa-san walked into my room and told me that I need to say good-bye to Otou-san; that he was going to work. I didn't want to, but she said it with finality. That voice and manner of speaking made me think twice when she repeated her statement. It was the way she said good-bye, I knew she meant it permanently. We were never going to see him again. I said my final good-bye and watched as she bid him farewell. When she did, the look she gave said more than words ever could. Without words, she was telling him that he would never be welcomed back for abandoning his family. She was telling him of the dishonor he was causing her. She was telling him, without words because he would deny them, that she knew exactly why he was leaving. To this day, I don't know how she knew, but I've always been afraid to ask.

The second was when the final battle was approaching. I had come home for a week and half way through, she came to me with the same expression I had seen only once before in my life. She told me that I should buy extra bandages and plenty of food to leave behind for the others. Afterwards, she sat me down and told me how proud she was that I was following my destiny and she couldn't wait for it to be over. She told me that I should say my good-bye to my friends before the battle started and that to hold my head up high no matter what happened next. When gave me a look that spoke without words, just as she had done when Otou-san disappeared, I knew that it was time my travels through the well to end. Her look told me that this was it. This was the last time that I was going through the well. This was the last time I was going to see my Sengoku Jidai family. This was the last time I was going to see my Kitsune youkai son. Maybe her telling me this was the reason I was okay with leaving the past. I didn't get to say good-bye after the final battle, true, but I listened to her and said good-bye before, just like she told me to. I wanted to give an even more final farewell, but I didn't get the chance. For some odd reason, I was perfectly at peace with that.

"You know what, mama, you are something special. Let's go find your trinket," I said with a renewed enthusiasm.

* * *

><p>"Mama, we've been to ten stores. Are you sure, nothing has called out to you?" I knew I was whining, but I was tired and being in that apartment took more out of me than I was willing to show.<p>

"Relax, Kagome. I was the one in the hospital not you." Her voice was laced with laughter. "Maybe it'll be the next one, but I can assure you that I will find them today. Of that, I have no doubt."

I sighed; _I wonder where she gets all that confidence from._ "How about we check that store?" I pointed to a small, run-down shop next to a bank.

"You know Kagome; I think that might be the place."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" I dragged her across the street when our light turned green.

The inside of the shop was totally different than the outside. No, the inside looked like it was taken out of a palace from the Sengoku Jidai. I had been in plenty during my travels, but this looked like something far more exquisite. Antique swords lined the walls, while jewelry was displayed in cases all throughout the floor. Statues of deities and youkai littered the floor. Cooking pots and ladles, as well as children's toys were scattered along with kimono and sandals. Shakujou could be found leaning against walls and statues, while bows, quivers, and arrows could be seen next to the swords. Samurai armor covered mannequins. This store screamed history. And I felt small amounts youki coming from various objects all throughout the store. It was nothing noticeable or hostile; probably remnants of taijiya weapons that hadn't been used in a long time.

Just as I was about to start looking at things, I heard Okaa-san's voice, "Kagome, I think I found it." I turned to see her stunned face. She looked positively radiant. "Tell me what you think."

I walked to her and focused on what had grabbed her attention so strongly and I let out a shocked gasp. A lone case, in the middle of the floor, presented us with an extraordinary sight. I felt the same call she did. I looked her dead in the eye, "Mama, do you know what that is?" Shaking her head, my eyes widened. "Mama," I paused, not really believing what I was seeing, "that is the Crest of the House of the Moon and the West. Mama, that is the Crest of Sesshoumaru-sama."

Here eyes widened just as mine had and she smiled with that look that she seemed to have had all day, "I told you that it was Fate that all this was happening. Kagome, this is what we are going to use."

* * *

><p>The case contained a pendant for a woman. A large maroon chain held an indigo crescent moon that had adorned the forehead of the Youkai Ryoushu of the West. The chain was thin and delicate looking but in no way fragile. Next to it was a double banned bracelet that held the top and bottom of the very same indigo crescent moon. Something about this bracelet was masculine. What scared Kagome most about these items was that it gave the impression of being made specifically for her family. The pendant was the perfect length for her mother's slender and long neck. The bracelet was small enough to fit her brother's wrist but also big enough for him to finish growing into. Surrounding the pendant and bracelet was a maroon rosary. It looked similar to Inuyasha's, except that instead of white fang-like beads, they were violet. The front of the rosary held the same indigo crescent, making everything in the case appear to be a complete set.<p>

* * *

><p>"Mama, you don't think-" I couldn't even finish the thought.<p>

"Yes, Kagome, I do. This is what I was searching for. I felt the call all the way to my soul." She turned those all-knowing eyes at me with a smile, "Didn't you?"

I didn't have to answer, but I did, "Yeah, mama, I did. I felt like someone took hold of my very essence and told me that this is what I had to get."

"Exactly," was all she said before she went to look for the attendant.

_I can't believe this._ I furrowed my eyes in concentration and felt a tug at the edge of my awareness. It was so slight I almost missed it; _it really did call out to us. There's a tiny amount of youki._ All brain functions stopped as I recognized the youki the jewelry exuded, _it's Sesshoumaru's youki. How is that possible?_

I was brought out of my musings as a hand placed itself on my shoulder, making me jump. "Kagome, are you okay?"

The man standing next to Okaa-san made me rethink my answer, "Yeah, you just surprised me."

"He had a couple of questions before we made the purchase."

"Ara? Okay, sure."

The man stepped up, "I know this is going to seem strange, but who are you getting these things for?"

Just as Okaa-san was about to answer, I spoke up, "My mother, otouto, and jii-chan. Doshite?" He was shady, but I knew there was a purpose to these questions.

"Then I have one last question for you." He looked me straight in the eyes and I knew it was going to be a dangerous question. "Do you know what it is you are choosing? I mean to ask, do you know what they represent?" His tone demanded an answer.

It was one I was more than happy to give, "Of course, who doesn't know the Crest of the House of the Moon and the West."

His eye brow rose in a very Sesshoumaru-like manner and I wanted to throttle something. _Why is everyone reminding me of him?_

Though his face lightened, his eyes stayed guarded, "You know the Crest? Then I leave them in capable hands. Shall I wrap them for you?"

"No, just the rosary and bracelet. I would like to wear the pendant, if that is okay?"

He looked at Okaa-san and nodded, "That is fine, but there was another object not on display, shall I bring it out for you?"

Okaa-san and I looked at each other and I shrugged while she answered, "Sure, if you don't mind."

The man looked at me once more before returning to the back, "Those were some odd questions."

"They meant something to him. They had a purpose. Just like I'm sure there's a valid reason as to why Sesshoumaru-sama's youki is in them as well. It's odd for a rosary to be embedded with youki, no matter how slight it is."

"It had his youki? It's not dangerous is it?"

"No, mama, more like it's there to make sure we heard the call. I think that they truly were meant for us."

Our conversation ended as the man returned with a small box. "I was told by the previous owner, before he passed away, that if anyone bought all three at the same time, I was to give them this." He opened the box to reveal a gorgeous twined charm bracelet. Instead of being solely maroon, it was intertwined with violet. Hanging from the bracelet was the same crescent moon, and directly opposite was a white diamond dog. In between the two, on the left, was a gold shakujou; next to it was a tan hiraikotsu. Between the hiraikotsu and crescent was a small flower. On the other side, was a two-tailed neko-matta that looked exactly like Kirara, down to the stripes across her tail and the paws were black; a small russet colored Kitsune with a green bow around its neck; and a green-brown, two-headed dragon with an angry looking imp holding a staff far too large for its size.

By the time I was finished, I was crying so hard. "Is she okay?" The man said with concern.

"It's absolutely beautiful. Where did anyone get the idea for it?" I looked at him, pleading to be given hope that they had not forgotten me.

"Ah well, this shop has a legend surrounding these items. It started back in the Sengoku Jidai. There was a little girl, who missed her sister. Her sister had disappeared after the final battle for the Shikon no Tama. The girl asked her father figure to find a way to send a message to the girl that had disappeared so she could know that she was never forgotten. When he asked what she would like to send this is what she came up with." He raised the box to emphasize his point. "She said she wanted something that brought her sister's family together, so that even if she wasn't with them, they were always with her." He laughed sheepishly, "Well, that's the legend. There were never any names mentioned, but legend also says that they used a small part of every person portrayed on the charms. Legend says that the father figure was a youkai and carved each charm from his own poison."

He shook his head trying to lessen his embarrassment, "I don't really believe it but that's what legend says. This legend was passed down from one shop owner to the next. Personally I think they like to make things like this up to give the place an air of mystery, but you never know, right? Anything can happen. Imagine if it were real. I wonder what the father figure would be like." The man closed the box and handed it to me. "Like I said before, the previous owner made it a point to say that if all three were at the same time, this one should be giving as a gift. Well, I'm not about to disappoint the old man from beyond the grave. He believed in spirits far too much that I think it began to rub off on me a little. I just don't want to wake up one day with him haunting me saying that I'm an idiot for not following his directions." He laughed and shook his head. "Believe it or not, those questions were left behind with the bracelet. So was the answer to the last question. When you told me who you were buying it for, I was a little skeptical at first, so I hope I wasn't rude. I've been here for quite a few years, but never has anyone given these items so much as a passing glance. Maybe it's just me, but I think these were made for you."

By the end of his rant, we had already paid and were at the door. "Thank you." I said as I looked at him, "You have no idea what this means to me." I looked at the box in my hands and knew once again that my mom was right. Once we put them on, they were never coming off.

* * *

><p>Across town, a man smirked as he felt something he had been waiting a long time for.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that's chapter 4! I hope you liked it. I was so absorbed in writing this that once I finished, I was like "Whoa. This is wicked." Please R &amp; R! I really appreciate all the reviews and favorites and alerts that everyone has made and I can't tell you how happy it makes me. *starts tearing* I thought my story was going to be horrible. I really was at a loss at what to do. <strong>

**For those I replied about who Kagome was going to be with, please be a little more patient so that I can get the proper characters in. If some parts don't make sense, they might be explained in later chapters, or … *pauses for dramatic effect* I completely messed up and didn't realize it lol.**

**+ Omoikane:** is a Shinto god of wisdom and intelligence.

**+ Kitsune Youkai:** Fox Demon

**+ Shakujou: **Pilgrim's Staff

**+ Youki: **Demon Energy

**+ Taijiya: **Slayer

**+ Youkai Ryoushu:** Demon Lord

**+ Hiraikotsu: **The boomerang that Sango used to carry. It was made of purified demon bones.

**+ Neko-matta: **Cat demon, at least the type that Kirara is.


	5. Chapter 5: It Needs To Be Now

**Disclaimer: *sees strange men in house* "who are you?" *men face me and have masks on* "where is it?" *looks at laptop* "no idea" "admit it" *strange men come closer* "AAAAAAHHHHHHHH! I don't own them! *grabs laptop and runs***

Chapter 5: It Needs To Be Now

Getting up from his seat, said man walked to a large window and looked over the city as if trying to locate something.

* * *

><p>"Mama?" I waited for her to reply. She was so enchanted in her new pendent that she didn't notice the rather large man in front of her.<p>

She crashed into him and fell back, but just before she hit the ground he reached out and caught her, "Ara? Ah, gomen. I wasn't paying attention," she bowed quickly, but awkwardly, before looking up at the man that caught her.

Attached to the arm was a tall, imposing man. He had a very muscular body; then again, you wouldn't have noticed it with his clothes. They were a bit baggy, somehow managing to hide his giant frame. He had a scar running down the left side of his face and an eye patch over his right eye. His black hair looked like it was trying to spike up but relax at the same time. Though his face and stature made him look fierce, his aura told a slightly different story. His aura contained bloodlust and the love of fighting, yes, that I wouldn't deny, but it also held a slight gentleness that I didn't think one with his appearance could have. His aura was the same as Renji's. It exuded death in the same sense. This man was also a messenger of death, or for others, death itself. Just looking at this man, and I knew he to was must have been blessed by Bishamonten-sama and also Izanami-sama, and that's what scared me the most. No, I could tell by his aura that his warfare wasn't art like Sesshoumaru's; it was brutal, crass, and messy. This man didn't have the elegance and regality that Sesshoumaru did, but he did have the strength and confidence to back up with skill.

He looked down at the woman in his arms as if he had just realized what he had done, "Ah? When did this happen?"

"Ano, gomen, but, can I have my arm back?" Okaa-san's voice was soft and slightly laced with fear.

"Eh?" Realizing that he hadn't already, he let her go, "Ha ha, gomen."

"Gomen, again. I wasn't paying attention." This time she gave a proper bow making the giant before us uncomfortable. _I'm not surprised. It's like he's out of his element._

"It's okay. I wasn't looking either." He scratched his face gently. "Well, since we're both alright, we're-"

A breeze went by before Okaa-san screamed, "Kagome, he stole out things." She pointed to a teen on roller blades holding our bag of treasures; for that's what they were, treasures.

"Ikkaku, what the fuck you waiting for, go!"

I didn't even get the chance to find out who he was talking about when I saw a thin bald man running after the thief. Just as I was about to take off after them I felt a large hand on my shoulder. Turning, I glared at the man, who was suddenly serious and said, "I am going and you're not going to stop me."

His grip got tighter, "Ikkuku's got this under control. If you go, you'll just get in the way."

"You don't know how important those items are." I paused between sentences when Okaa-san clutched her chest the way she had when we first arrived before she fell, "Shit, mama." I didn't notice that as I had summoned my miko-ki to the surface when I slapped his hand. "Where is it, mama, I need to add more. I should have known I didn't give you enough. Damn. Mama, where is it." She pointed a shaky hand to the direction the thief had taken. "Fuck!" When she looked as if she was trying to reprimand me for my language, I merely rolled my eyes, "Mama, hanging around Inuyasha gave me some habits that I am trying to get rid of. Now isn't the time to yell at me."

Before I knew it, the giant placed the same large hand on her shoulder, making her condition worse, "Don't touch her, you're making her sick. If I get a hold of that bastard, I'll kill in a way to make Sesshoumaru-sama and Bishamonten-sama proud. Mama, give me the pendant, I'm going to have to do it now." Her eyes widened and she looked at the men standing behind me, "Now isn't the time, give it to me." When she finally relinquished said pendant, I looked at both men, having not noticed the smaller feminine man and spoke in a cold tone that I had learned from Sesshoumaru, "I don't want any questions until I'm finished, is that understood," my next words took them both by surprise, "Shinigami-san?" My tone booked no argument, but the larger man grinned and told me to get to work. "Make sure no one interrupts me. It's a delicate process and messing it up could get dangerous." After leaning my mom against the wall and sitting away from her, I sat cross-legged and put the moon in my hands. Crossing the last three fingers on each hand; I held the crescent in the triangle created by my index fingers and thumbs. Closing my eyes, I placed myself in a meditative state and started chanting silently.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi was intrigued at the amount of control the girl was displaying. The energy she was producing was making his fingers twitch. <em>I would definitely want to fight this onna. She's strong.<em> As she started to pulse, he saw the chain of the pendant rise in answer to her call. After a minute, the chain pulsed in time with the onna in front of him. His eyes widened as he saw the blessing take hold of the pendant any coax its tiny aura to fuse with itself. _What is she?_

He looked at the onna's mother and saw the same healthy woman from before; sitting patiently, waiting for her daughter to finish. He couldn't believe just being near the onna was enough to restore her. He looked at the onna again in disbelief reiterating his last thought; _what is she?_

* * *

><p>I felt the youki in the pendant blend with my blessing as if they were originally the same energy. I could feel the growing excitement and curiosity rolling off the two men in waves. A felt as pedestrians stole glances in our direction but not caring enough to actually investigate. I was surprised at how easily my miko-ki meshed with Sesshoumaru's youki. It made me feel at home.<p>

I focused on placing plenty of my miko-ki into the pendant and the youki felt like it froze it so that the blessing never diminished.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi watched as the onna's pulsing slowed down gradually.<p>

"Zaraki-Taichou, it's incredible. I've never felt anything so pure before. It's making my skin crawl."

"Ah," he agreed, "Look at what she did to my arm," He grinned, lifting his arm for his subordinate to see.

It was singed in the same place she had touched him. Nothing horrible since she barely touched him, but it still surprised Yumichika. "She did this? When?"

Kenpachi chuckled, "Yeah, when she hit me to get to her mom."

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes slowly as I finished, and turning my head to Okaa-san while never once leaving my position, "Higurashi, Mizuki. Do you accept This One's blessing?"<p>

She looked me straight in the eye knowing this was part of the ritual, "Higurashi, Kagome. This One accepts your blessing."

"Do you also accept the protection This One offers?

"This One accepts Kagome-Miko-sama's Protection." She smiled with pride at seeing me in my element.

I moved next to her and placed the pendant around her neck. The moment I let go, I felt Sesshoumaru's youki flare and focus a large portion of itself on the clasp forever sealing itself around my mother's neck; at the same time, I felt my miko-ki pulse, signifying the end of the ritual. "You were right, mama, this is never leaving your neck. I think Sesshoumaru-sama wanted you to have this. My blessing is finished, mama. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling great Kagome." She put her hand on my cheek, "You have no idea how proud I am of you. You truly are an amazing young woman."

"Oi, Zaraki-Taichou! I caught him!" We turned to see Ikkaku running with the perpetrator in hand. "I didn't know what to do with him, so I dragged him along."

"Should have left him for dead."

Okaa-san gasped at Kenpachi's words, "I agree with him, mama. If not, I would gladly send him to Jigoku with as much pain as possible."

"Kagome! You shouldn't speak like that." She admonished.

"Gomen, mama. Leave baldy to ruin a moment, too."

"Oi, who you calling bald?

I looked at him like he was an idiot, "Baka, I'm talking about you!"

"Eh, you lookin' for a fight?" He grabbed the bokken at his side.

"Ikkaku, nock it off. Give them their things and leave the baka on the floor. Maybe someone will throw him in the trash." He motioned at the bag.

"Eh, this?" He looked at me, "This yours?" I felt my eye twitch while I nodded, "Here." He threw the bag and I scrambled to catch the bag before it fell.

Catching it, I glared at him. "You are so lucky that the stuff in this bag can't break or I'd rip you a new one."

"Kagome!" Okaa-san sounded horrified.

"No, mama, this isn't about him throwing the bag. It's about him disrespecting the contents. For all he knew, there could have been glass inside." I looked at her then back at Ikkaku, "What if it was and I didn't catch it in time and they broke. Mama, if these things had broken, I would fell like I was desecrating his memory. He was a good friend of mine in the end. I can't let the only connections I have to him be disrespected. I can't let _him_ be disrespected."

Kenpachi laughed, "Well, Ikkaku, I think you owe these ladies an apology."

Ikkaku looked like his captain had just lost his marbles, "You're kidding me!"

"She's got a point Ikkaku. It's not beautiful to not take into account the feelings of others. It's ugly." Yumichika gave Ikkaku a look.

"Ugh, fine." He looked at me harshly, the his expression fell, "You're right, gomen. I hadn't thought about that."

I smiled catching him off guard, "As long as you're sorry, no harm done. After all, they didn't brake."

"But you just said-"

"I said you're lucky that this stuff couldn't brake." I opened the bag to make sure the contents were still inside.

I pulled out the rosary and bracelet. When I couldn't find the box I started panicking, "Mama, it's not in here. The box is gone."

A delicate hand on my shoulder brought me back to earth. "Kagome, I have the box, relax." She pulled it out and opened it for me to see.

I cried. I know, after being angry I shouldn't have cried, but I was so relieved that I couldn't help it.

Ikkaku inched his way back to his captain and asked, "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. I think she's just relieved. I wonder who they keep talking about though."

"Check out what she's holding." He pointed to the items in my lap before continuing, "I wonder if they mean anything."

When I finally stopped crying, I looked at the three men that we ran into and gave them my thanks.

"No, thank you. You gave us an incredible desplay. The name's Zaraki Kenpachi. These two are Madarame, Ikkaku, and Yumichika, Ayasegawa."

"Ara, hi. I'm Higurashi, Kagome and this is my Okaa-san, Higurashi, Mizuki. Yoroshiku."

* * *

><p>After going our separate ways, Okaa-san laughed, "It's a good thing you got their names."<p>

"Mama, if you're going to go on about how all this was Fate, I'm going to scream."

"Oh, Kagome, it's the truth. You'll be seeing them a lot more in the future. I suggest you make friends. You never know how things will turn out. His appearance surprised me. He was so tall! A little on the rough side, but very good-looking. Kind of like Kurosaki-san and the red-haired boy, too." Somehow I knew she was talking about Ichigo and it scared me just as much as the thought of Renji.

"Mama!" I couldn't believe she just said that. "Mama, please tell me you _are_ joking." She just continued laughing softly as she left me behind. _I think I just entered another dimension. Yeah, that's it. I'm stuck in an illusion that Shippou is playing on me. Yeah, sounds about right, because there is no way-I can't even finish the thought; it's so creepy._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, that's chapter 5 and oh my gods! I can't help but agree with Kagome. What is Mizuki thinking? Though, I have to admit, she's absolutely right about Kenpachi. He is delicious looking if I do say so myself. So, have you guessed who the man the very first sentence mentions? If you did, here's a cookie! It's yummy! **

+ **Taichou:** Captain

+ **Baka:** Idiot, Stupid

+ **Bokken:** A wooden sword with no guard.


	6. Chapter 6: To Survive Myself

**Disclaimer: Well since I couldn't think of anything this time around, I'm going to out a boring one. I don't own Inuyasha or Bleach.**

Chapter 6: To Survive Myself

"Kagome, have you finished packing?" I heard Okaa-san shout from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, mama, I just have to finish bringing down the last couple of boxes and my stuff is gone." I took one last look at my old room and smiled. _I can't believe I'm moving out. I can't believe I have a job._ After discussing everything the last week and calling Kurosaki-san, I ended up with a job. _How mama managed that is something I would rather not know. I swear it's like no man can ever say no to her. She's just so innocent and adorably cute that they feel like they have to please her. It's scary, really. I hope I get that talent when I get older._

I was leaving behind my furniture. I had sold only one of the items I brought back from the Sengoku Jidai. I laughed as I remembered the day we went to the museum.

* * *

><p>"Kagome, are you sure, this is what you want to sell? Can't you sell something less…" she trailed off.<p>

I rolled my eyes, "Mama, just because you don't like this doesn't mean some old museum curator won't. They'll take whatever chance they can get to get a hold of something like this. Plus, when Sesshoumaru-sama got into a confrontation with Oda, Nobunaga, this is what he walked away with. If anything, I want to keep it. I mean, it's a katana used by Oda, Nobunaga! Sure, the man could have learned to take better care of his katana, but that is just going to make it that much more valuable."

I heard a sigh, "I don't know Kagome. Did Sesshoumaru-sama at least tell you how much it was worth?"

I couldn't help it, I laughed, "Oh, mama. I told him the exactly same thing and do you know what he said? He said, 'This One cares not the value of petty ningen weapons.' I took it to a sword smith in that time and he tried to buy it off me. I was with Sesshoumaru-sama and Miroku. He tried to buy it off at a rather sad price. I mean, I don't know how much swords usually go for, but even I knew that he was basically trying to steal it. You should have seen Sesshoumaru-sama. He got so angry and turned to the smith and said, 'This One suggests, ningen, that you do not lie to the Miko. She asked for a professional opinion, it would appear that you cannot give. This One suggests you should find another profession for if one cannot properly appraise something of one's art; to put it in words a lowly ningen like yourself can understand, it presents a great lack of skill.' The smith got so mad that he was about to yell at Sesshoumaru-sama. I don't think he recognized to whom exactly he was dealing with." I looked at her only to see amusement and I shook my head laughing again.

"Sesshoumaru-sama stood up for you?"

I laughed, "I know what you're thinking. I thought the same thing. He looked at the smith, okay so he death glared at him like only he knew how, and said in rather patronizing voice, 'This One told you, Miko, that we should have gone to Totosai.' Then I proceeded to gently remind him that Totosai was completely and utterly afraid of him. The arrogant inu rolled his eyes at me; but since no one can correct _Lord _Sesshoumaru, the only option I had was to roll my eyes and ask him to lead the way. I don't know what happened to the smith but I can tell you that we ran into Totosai a week later and, not only got the proper price of the sword, but Sesshoumaru-sama asked Totosai to craft me a sword."

"'Asked,' Kagome?" She looked at me skeptically.

"Okay so maybe not 'asked,' but threatened his life saying that if he didn't craft the sword; he would die a very painful death. Totosai absolutely refused until he heard that the sword was for me. Both, Sesshoumaru-sama and Totosai, managed to keep it a secret from me until I was gifted with it. For the record, I feel like a total baka for not realizing it sooner. They got my cute little Shippou to get me to cut a foot and a half of my hair. When Sesshoumaru-sama finally deemed me worthy of getting a katana of my own, he gifted me with the one he had commissioned. That's how I found out what happened to my hair. When he mentioned he had it made from one of his fangs, I cried like a baby out of gratitude. Then he proceeded to tell me that it was his wish I wasn't going to rush out into battle, like the baka hanyou, and promptly get myself killed. I decided to translate it to him saying that just because I had a cool sword and actually knew use it doesn't mean I'm invincible. My way sounded so much better, and I simply told him that I understood."

By the time I had finished with my story, we were standing at the front desk of a museum.

The woman behind the desk looked up at us, "Hello, may I help you with something?"

Okaa-san smiled, "Yes, we're hoping to speak to the curator, if he is available, of course."

"Of course, one moment please." I looked around as she picked up the phone to make a call and saw a section dedicated to Meiji Revolution and I had to force myself to stay in one place. "If you would please wait a few minutes, he will be right out momentarily," she gestured to a bench against the wall.

As Okaa-san and I took our seats, I began to grow slightly nervous. As I saw a balding old man walk in our direction and my nerves simply fried from all the anxiety. He bowed before speaking, "I was told you wanted to see me?"

Okaa-san stood to bow, then replied, "Yes, my musume and I have something we would like to sell," she gestured to me then the case in my hands.

"Ah, then please follow me to my office and see what you have."

After the tense and quiet trek to his office, he spoke after ushering us inside, "My name is Kaneko, Hitoshi. Who do I have the pleasure of doing business with," he asked as he took his seat behind the large, old-looking desk.

"My name is Higurashi, Mizuki, and this is my musume, Higurashi, Kagome."

"Hello." I tried not to sound nervous, but he looked so intimidating.

"Higurashi-san, Higurashi-kun, Yoroshiku. Now, what is it you would like to sell?"

As I looked into his eyes, I saw a man that was willing to cheat us out of whatever we brought. When I shifted my eyes to see his aura, it was clouded with greed, and I knew I had to be very careful in how I dealt with Kaneko, Hitoshi.

Never releasing the hold on my eyes, which I knew a ningen couldn't notice if they were too far away from my eyes, I spoke, "I have a katana from the Sengoku Jidai that I wish to sell."

His eyes lit up with greed and the though of a possible scam. "Oh? May I please see this katana?"

I sat up straight and placed the case on his desk. Making sure I kept the clasps on my side, I carefully opened the simple wooden carrying case and lifted the katana and handed it to him.

"My, my, this is a wonderful katana. From the Sengoku Jidai, you say? Are you positive? I get a few katana like this every year. Many of them turn out to be replicas. How can I trust that this is a genuine artifact?" He had already started to show his doubt and play out his plan.

Before Okaa-san got a chance to speak, I placed my hand over hers and gently squeezed, hoping she would get the silent message to let me handle it. "I can assure you that the katana is genuine. A friend of mine was an avid collector of only the finest weapons. I have seen his collection only a few times. He had been in the process of selling this particular katana when the buyer suddenly passed away. Having no need for it, he gave it to me to sell so I can pay my expenses."

"Oh, he was, was he? I can give you ¥775,621.92 for it, anymore than that is a little much."

Noting that Okaa-san was going to speak again, I squeezed a little tighter, and reached for the katana with my other hand, "Then I must apologize. I know the value of such a katana, and the price you have listed does not cover nearly a fraction of its true value. I spoke the truth about my friend. He was a very avid collector. The only reason he was going to sell this particular katana was because he was not a fan of its original wielder." I said confidently, returning that katana to its case.

"Its original wielder? Now, now, Higurashi-kun, please don't be rash. I can assure you that you wouldn't find a better price anywhere else." He smiled trying to get me to call for his trap. Looking at his aura, I saw it darken slightly in anger.

I stood gathering my things, gesturing for my mother to follow before bowing. "No, I don't think so. We will go to another museum and see what they have to say. I was not lying when I said I know the value, considering this katana is over 420 years old, its value is that much greater. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be taking our leave," putting my hand on Okaa-san's back I led her to the door.

"Stop. How much do you think that katana is worth?" His voice was strong and accusing, yet held a great deal of skepticism.

I smirked, not turning around, deciding to answer all the same, "How much do _you_ _think _this katana is worth, Kaneko-san? I can assure you, its history and original wielder add more value than you could possibly imagine." I waited for him to answer.

He didn't disappoint, "Please sit back down and we can reopen negotiations."

As he waved to the seats, I nodded. Looking at Okaa-san, I knew she didn't expect to ever see me like this. Shaking my head, I whispered for her to just relax and let me do all the talking, telling her that I knew exactly what I was doing.

Facing the curator once more, I spoke in a strong and confident voice, "You haven't answered my question: how much do you _think _this katana is worth?"

He motioned for me to once again give him the katana and I did, with much reluctance, might add. He studied it tentatively. One thing I knew about Oda, Nobunaga personally, that historians later discovered, was that he always had his seal on a specific location on the blade that was not able to be replicable. In his youth, Oda Nobunaga was paranoid about losing his favored swords, so he commissioned the sword smith to place his seal on the blade in a place impossible for others who did not know the technique to replicate. Before he had the chance to further scrutinize the katana, I spoke, retaining his attention once more, "Just so you know, Kaneko-san," I pointed to the katana, "That sword belonged to Oda, Nobunaga himself."

Eyes widening, he sputtered, "I-I-I-I-impossible! To imply that such a thing, for this piece of scrap metal!"

I held my hand up silencing his protest, I took the katana and began to disassemble it with great care. "Look here," I showed him the mei on the nakago. Underneath the mei, was the seal of Oda, Nobunaga. "As you can clearly see, this is a katana that once belonged to Oda, Nobunaga."

He looked as if he was about to pass out, but instead opted for falling into his red, leather chair and I couldn't help but smirk, "I told you Kaneko-san, I know the its true value; so I ask you once again: how much do you _think_ it's worth?"

"Name your price, Higurashi-kun. I never thought I'd see the day where I would be holding a katana truly belonging to The Oda, Nobunaga."

I remembered the value Totosai gave me and had done the conversion at home resulting in a rather large number, "¥136,861,357.06."

I heard two collective gasps, "Kagome!"

"I did the math, Okaa-san. That is the value. Maybe the katana is worth more, which I wouldn't doubt, but that is the only price I'm willing to accept unless you wish to raise the price. What do you think, Kaneko-san?" I had a knowing smile on my face.

I saw his aura shift with disbelief at the price and outrage at being caught trying to scam us. "That is a ridiculous price! You cannot be serious! It's outrageous!"

"That katana was used in many wars; it has a bloody history and Oda, Nobunaga won his first three battles with it. He has a couple paintings featuring it from when he first started his campaign. If you don't believe me, check with the museum's historians. They will tell you the same thing. What do you say, Kaneko-san; will you agree with my price or should I get ready to go to the next museum?"

Running his hand down his face, he spoke in a grave voice, "Let me call my superiors, and hear what they have to say, after that, well…" he trailed off.

Taking his cell, he excused himself after returning the katana to its case, leaving us to wait for his answer. "Kagome, are sure. That's a rather high price. And what happened to you. You were like a whole other person." Her expression showing the same disbelief that had been lacing her voice.

"A lot happened in the past, mama. Sesshoumaru-sama taught me that the outside world was a savage place. Somewhere, where my kind hearted and trusting ideals won't always be a good thing; that I would have to know when to put my ideals aside and turn into someone cold enough to survive. He told me that I would have to survive myself before I could ever survive the world; and you know what mama, I completely agree with him. I learned how to survive myself. Then he told me that since I was ningen, that I would need a valuable skill most would kill to have. Telling me that since I was such a powerful Miko, I could alter myself to better adapt to the world around me; so he taught me how to see the auras of everything around me; by using my miko-ki to alter my eyes, I can actually see the aura and energy of the world around me. I can even see if a person is lying." I looked at her so she could get a proper look.

She gasped, "They look like neko no me. The coloring is the same, but you have a slit for a pupil. Amazing," she set her hand on my cheek, "You have grown up so much these past three years. I'm kind of sad that you had to miss out on everything that would have made you a normal teenager., but I wouldn't change it for the world. You have made me so proud of you. You have become so confident in yourself, so strong and firm in you who you are." Dropping her hand to mine and holding, she started crying while she continued, "I remember when you used to come home so sad when you were picked on at school. How you used to cry in your room when you thought everyone was asleep. You used to put on fake smiles and pretend to be cheerful just so we wouldn't have to worry. Now look at you. I bet you could give them a run for their money." She let out a watery laugh, making me tear up.

"Oh, mama. I'm still the same little Kagome, I've always been. I'm just finally able to survive myself." I smiled as I got up and gave her a tight hug. "I love you, mama. I love you, lots."

After we were finally able to pull ourselves together, Kaneko-san had reentered the office, "Well, Higurashi-san, Higurashi-kun, my superiors agreed with your asking price. Give me a moment to write out the check." He pulled open random drawers until her found the checkbook. "May I ask to whom do I make the check out to?"

Okaa-san smiled, "You can make the check out to one Higurashi, Kagome."

He looked surprised, "Are you sure. Wouldn't it be better if I made it out to you, Higurashi-san?"

Okaa-san gave him that look and spoke as if she were reprimanding a child, "She made the negotiations and it was her katana. As such, the money is hers to do with as the pleases. It is not my place to take that which she has proven she can handle."

He looked like he was starting to sweat and I did my best to hold back a snicker, "My apologies, Higurashi-san." He turned to me and his aura darkened considerably, "My superiors stated that if ever you would like to do business again, we would be more than happy to."

"Of course, Kaneko-san, but let me assure you, I know the value of _all_ the items that I would be willing to sell."

"Of course, Higurashi-kun." When he finished filling out the check, he handed it to me and walked us to the museum exit. "Please, come back soon."

"In time, Kaneko-san. In time." I laughed softly, "Have a good day, Kaneko-san."

* * *

><p>"Kagome, is everything alright," came Okaa-san's concerned voice.<p>

"Yeah, everything is great. I was just remembering that day at the museum. Kaneko-san's face was hilarious mama."

"True, his face was rather humorous when he found out you wouldn't buy into his trap. I had no idea that it would sell for so much." She put a finger to her chin, a gesture I recognized from doing it many times while I thought about something.

"I know. Imagine my surprise when I had been wanting to clean it and saw the seal. I didn't even want to get take it out of the box after I did. Luckily, I have more than one object belonging to Nobunaga. One of them I am never going to sell."

"What is that, Kagome?" The amusement shining in her eyes made me laugh.

"I managed to get a hold of one of his haori." I smirked.

"No way!" _It's always fun to see mama look like a little school girl getting excited over a new toy._

"Uh-huh, I plan on keeping that for the rest of my life. I'm thinking of making it a family heirloom. Although," my eyes narrowed, "We can never tell Jii-chan. He would either try to sell it or put it on display."

Okaa-san laughed, "You packed it right?"

"Packed what?"

We both turned to the door only to see Jii-chan holding the rosary Okaa-san had bought him, "Nothing, Jii-chan. My friend gave me come clothes and he wanted me to keep them."

"If you say so Kagome. So, is everything at your new apartment okay? There aren't any malevolent spirits are there? Do you need me to do an exorcism? We can't be too careful, now can we?"

"No Jii-chan, I'm going to bless it once I am officially moved in. I want everything there otherwise it would throw me off. I prefer to take all precautions so you don't need to worry." I looked at the rosary, "Jii-chan, I need to bless that so that you can wear it."

He lifted it, "I don't want to wear anything that had youki in it! It's a disgrace to our ancestors! To think, my own granddaughter, befriending youkai! Where have I gone wrong?"

I rolled my eyes, "Jii-chan, I'm going to bless the rosary, you're going to wear it, and you're not going to complain." I sighed dramatically, making Okaa-san stifle a giggle, "To think my Jii-chan doesn't want to wear something his musume bought him and something his granddaughter is going to bless. Oh the shame, I can't bare it!" I leaned into the wall of my former bedroom, putting my forearm on my forehead.

Jii-chan huffed, "Fine, fine. Here, I have a shrine to keep." He handed me the rosary.

"Okay, Otou-san, when Kagome is finished, she's going to ask you a couple of questions. When it's time for you to answer, I'll tell you what to say."

He huffed again and crossed his arms as he sat down, "At least I get to see a real Miko blessing. This is something I will remember for the rest of my life."

I rolled my eyes and got into my stance in front of my jii-chan. I relaxed and let myself slip into a meditative state and began chanting silently. I felt the same thing as when I blessed Okaa-san's pendant. The pulsing and flares soon became one and as I felt the blessing take hold and freeze once again. Easing out, I opened to see a wide eyed jii-chan, an excited Souta, and a proud Okaa-san.

"Higurashi, Tadashi. Do you accept This One's blessing?"

What Okaa-san whispered in his ear, he repeated aloud, "Higurashi, Kagome. This One accepts your blessing."

"Do you also accept the protection This one offers?"

"This One accepts Kagome-Miko-sama's protection."

I rose to my knees and gently place the rosary around his neck, once again feeling Sesshoumaru's youki flare to life sealing it around Jii-chan's neck. "What do you think, Jii-chan?"

"Kagome, you have made me a very happy and proud man. To not only be able to witness an actual ritual, but to have my own granddaughter be the one performing it, and for me, no less. It is beyond words." He hugged me tightly and I knew he meant what he said. It wasn't often that Jii-chan was brought to tears, but to be the cause of such happy tears mean more to me than his words.

"I'm glad Jii-chan."

"Wow, Kagome. That was amazing!" Souta was practically jumping up and down, "Am I next Kagome?"

"Yeah, come on Squirt, trade places with Jii-chan and say the same things he did."

"Sure, Kagome, what ever you say."

"I'm not joking, Souta, this is serious. If something goes wrong, it'll be extremely dangerous. If it's not conducted correctly, it can turn into a curse or an incomplete blessing. Meaning, if you were ever in trouble, I wouldn't be able to lift a finger to help you. My miko-ki would literally prevent me from helping you by binding my body, do you understand Souta?"

His happy-go-lucky expression became one of fear. "Gomen, Kagome. I didn't know."

"It's okay, as long as you know. Now sit down and don't move; I need to concentrate. Give me the bracelet."

I returned to my stance, bracelet in hand, started meditating, then chanted. Once again I eased out and looked at Souta dead in the eye, "Higurashi, Souta. Do you accept This One's blessing?"

"Higurashi, Kagome. This One accepts your blessing."

"Do you also accept the protection This One offers?"

"This One accepts Kagome-Miko-sama's protection."

I lifted his hand and placed the bracelet on his wrist, watching as the youki flared, sealing the bracelet to his arm. "I've never seen you act so mature, Squirt. Well, how do you feel?"

"It's weird. It's like I can feel a tiny part of you on my wrist. Kind of like you're holding my hand. Is it supposed to be like that?"

I laughed, "Yup, that's the protection part. The spell was longer because I had to do two. One for the blessing and one for protection. If it was just the blessing, it wouldn't have taken as long. The protection spell lets me know when you're in danger. My miko-ki will flare and for a protective barrier around you until I can get there."

"That's amazing, Kagome. You were awesome. I wonder if I will be able to do that when I get older." He looked at me and my eyes shifted. When I looked at their aura, I couldn't help but smile at the pride radiating off them. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have such an amazing family.

I released my hold when I heard the door bell ring. "Mama, were you expecting company?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN": Okay! so that was chapter 6! I wonder who is at the door? I got so drawn into writing this chapter that i forgot to eat and now I'm starving! How do I do these things to myself. It's like once i get into the rhythm of writing, I lose track of the outside world. Phew! Glad this chapter is over with! i hope this isn't too cheesy! please review! Milkshake-sama is getting sad that there aren't that many reviews! we can't let Milkshake-sama be sad! She hides when she is sad, so please don't make Milkshake-sama hide and review! Thank you! :)**

+ **Oda, Nobunaga:** born June 23, 1534; died June 21, 1582.

-initiated the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century; which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration. He was also a major daimyo of the Sengoku period. For more info: .org/wiki/Oda_Nobunaga

-I made the part up about the paranoia and the seal. I thought it would be fun to through in the curator's face.

+ **Hanyou:** Half Demon

+** Hitosh**i:Motivated Person

-"**Hito:"** person & **"Shi:"** motivated

+ **Kaneko:** Gold Child

-**"Kane:" **gold & **"Ko:"** child

+ ¥**775,621.92:** roughly $10,000

+ **Mei: **sword smith's signature

+ **Nakago:** The part of the blade that the handle covers.

+ ¥**136,861,357.06:** roughly $1,765,421.12

+ **Neko no Me:** Cat Eyes

-**Neko:** Cat

-**Me:** Eye(s)

+ **Haori:** is a hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket, traditionally worn by men, only to be adopted by women in the Meiji Era.

+ **Tadashi:** Loyal, Faithful


	7. Chapter 7: Niisama?

**Okay, so at first, I didn't know what time frame to use, but it's going to be after the defeat of Aizen, and around the time Ginjo appears. For those who haven't gotten that far, well, then I'm eternally sorry for the spoiler. I will, however mix up the events. So it won't exactly follow the manga. I think it would be fun to create a jumbled mess out of the whole thing. So if things are different than the manga, let me say this: Well, duh, otherwise it wouldn't be a fanfic! Ha-ha.**

**Disclaimer: *sees mother in doorway, holding something unidentifiable* "what are those?" "Oh these, these are your enslavement papers for not disclaiming the rightful characters…they will be here any minutes so hurry" *mother walks away as I start chanting in the fetal position* "Idon'townthemIdon'townthemIdon'townthemIdon'townthemIdon'townthem"**

Chapter 7: Nii-sama?

"No, I'm not. Otou-san, Souta, are any of you?"

They shook their heads and I sighed, "I'll get it."

As I walked down the stairs, I thought about the past week. _Well, since all my stuff is packed, I guess all that's really left is to move in. We told Nishimura-san that I would be moving in the next couple of weeks. We bought all the furniture that I was going to need, the kitchen supplies. Wait, no there was a fridge, phew, I completely forgot about that. Let's see, what else…we bought toiletries, towels, linens, my mattress, no I think we-ah! We didn't buy a TV! How am I going to watch my anime! Not to mention my cooking shows and dramas and my movies! I need a DVD player, too! Ugh, and I need a computer, too! Oh man, how could I forget about that? I'll just go buy them after I move in. Maybe I'll buy a laptop instead of a desk top. Yeah, that will work._

I pulled myself out of my thoughts as I reached the door, "Hello," I said as I opened it and immediately felt like slamming it shut, "Abarai-san is there a reason that you are at my front door?"

My eyes widened when I saw a hand reach out and pushed Renji away before he had the chance to speak, "Oi, don't just stand there like an idiot, say hi!" I looked at the person who pushed Renji and came face to face with a short girl with short, black hair and a lock falling into the middle of her face. "Hi, my name is Kuchiki, Rukia."

"Higurashi, Kagome. Yoroshiku."

"What the hell, Rukia! I didn't even get to say anything!"

I watched in silent awe at how much it reminded me of Kouga and Inuyasha and my eye twitched at the thought of a certain hanyou. "Gomen." I turned to Ichigo, "Your mom called my dad telling him that you were moving today. He sent me to help you; sadly, Rukia caught me just as I was getting out of the house and she decided to follow. Unfortunately, Renji was with her and he tagged along too. I hope that it's okay."

I gave him a look. "Huh," was my, oh so, intelligent reply.

He sighed, "I'm here to help you move. My dad threw the keys at my head and kicked me out the door telling me that I had to help our new neighbor move. In other words, you."

I nodded, turned my head to the pair still arguing, "Are they always like that?"

He sighed and nodded, "Sadly, yes. She's like that with me, too."

"Uh-huh, okay, well come inside. Everything is packed; we were just getting ready to start loading the car." I smiled, "Thanks for coming. We needed the help. I guess I'll thank your dad later today. If not, then when I come in for work." I moved aside to let him in, "Sorry about the mess."

He gave a tiny smile and something told me that him smiling was just as rare as Sesshoumaru smiling. "Leave them out here; by the time they figure it out, we'll probably have most of the boxes in both cars."

"Yeah, I'll just leave the door open for them" I giggled.

"Kagome, who-ah, Kurosaki-san, how good to see you. How is everything at home?" Okaa-san smiled as she came down the stairs.

"Everything is normal at my house, Higurashi-san. The old man told me to tell you that he says hi and that you should use me however you please. Basically he sent me to help you move." He bowed slightly.

"Oh how nice of him and you. Thank you for your help. Souta should be leaving-" she stopped mid sentence as the squirt appeared next to her.

"I'll be leaving now, mom." Seeing Ichigo at the door, he couldn't resist, "Wow! Nice hair, is it real?"

"Souta, apologize this instant and then off to school with you," commanded Okaa-san's stern voice.

"Fine," he turned to Ichigo and bowed before saying, "Gomen, I really do like your hair though." He took off before Okaa-san could say anything else, but I had to admit, I was curious about that too.

"Gomen, Kurosaki-san, Souta needs to learn to think before he acts. That boy," she sighed. Looking up again, she saw the others, "Ah, you brought friends, please come inside." She ushered everyone inside and Ichigo immediately started gathering boxes.

"Oi, Renji, make yourself useful and help me load the heavy stuff first."

With an indignant 'Oi,' Renji followed Ichigo.

"Hello, I'm Kuchiki, Rukia. May I help with anything?"

"Sure, Kagome has a couple of boxes left in her room. She says they aren't heavy, so you could help her with those, if you don't mind."

Waving for me to take the lead, I looped my arm around Rukia-chan's and led her upstairs.

Deciding that I finally wanted some answers, I spoke bluntly, "So, how do you know Ichigo, Shinigami-Kuchiki-san?"

"Eh?"

Her eyes nearly fell out of her head why she heard my question, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Abarai-san, told me that he was a Shinigami. I believe him simply because of what I saw the day I met him. I noticed you are extremely similar in the way your aura exudes itself; laced with death, though you aren't dying. He told me what a Shinigami does, but he wouldn't tell me how you met Ichigo. All he told me is that he met through his boss's imouto, which I'm going to guess is you." It was more a statement than a question.

"Aura, laced with death, I'm confused. How did you meet Ichigo?" She looked at me suspiciously.

"I'm not trying to do anything; in fact, I hope we can become friends. I like Ichigo, he seems really nice."

"You like Ichigo! Really?"

"Yeah, don't you? He's a really sweet guy. I think of him as a friend after what he did for my Okaa-san and me. I like Abarai-san, too. Although, he is quite brash and he reminds me of someone I would rather not think about, but he seems kind of nice. Why, what-wait-you didn't mean, like I had a crush on Ichigo, did you." She was sputtering a response and I dislodged our arms and opted to throw it over her shoulder instead, "Oh, Kuchiki-san, I barely know Ichigo!" I gently pushed her into the room ahead of me and laughed, "I like you Kuchiki-san. You're funny."

"S-s-s-sorry, Higurashi-san, I just didn't know what to expect," she blushed.

"Call me Kagome. Can I call you Rukia-chan?"

"Rukia is fine Kagome-chan." She looked around nervously before speaking, "Ano, which boxes would you like me to take?"

I glanced around the room and saw the box marked '100% FRAGILE! YOU BREAK: YOU DIE!' "You can take that box," I pointed at the one I just read. "It's nothing fragile; I just didn't want my otouto to take it. Knowing him, he would try to take something that's inside. I figured if it was marked extra fragile, then he wouldn't want to risk breaking anything and making me mad. I see it worked." I smirked. "It shouldn't be heavy; if it is just let me know."

"Okay." She walked, still looking about the room.

* * *

><p>The moment Rukia tried to lift the box, her mouth fell open, "Ano, Kagome-chan." when she saw Kagome acknowledge her, she continued, "You said the box wasn't supposed to be that heavy. I can't even lift it."<p>

* * *

><p>After Rukia-chan told me she couldn't lift it, I furrowed my brows. <em>I wonder why? I mean, it really isn't that heavy.<em> "It's okay, Rukia-chan. I'll take that box downstairs; along with those two in the corner. That should leave the two boxes on the bed."

Putting said box under one arm quite easily, I grabbed the other two and waited for her to grab the remaining boxes. Once she was ready, I told her to follow me, because we were going straight to Okaa-san's car.

When we reached the first floor, the sight that welcomed me was that last thing I was expecting.

* * *

><p>"Nii-sama."<p>

"Ara, nii-sama? Rukia-chan, that man is your nii-san?"

"Yeah. Nii-sama, what are you doing here." She spoke as if reverently trying to please him.

"Rukia. It is time to return. I was sent to retrieve you and Renji. It is," he looked at me as if I wasn't supposed to be there, making my ire rise, then returned his gaze to Rukia-chan, "Renji is finishing up, you should be as well." He looked around the house with the same arrogance as Sesshoumaru.

Looking around, I couldn't find Okaa-san or Ichigo. Narrowing my eyes, I spoke directly to the man, "Where's my Okaa-san, Kuchiki-san."

He looked at me with disregard and boredom, "She went outside with Kurosaki."

Nodding my head, I turned to Rukia-chan, "Help me put the boxes in the car then you can leave. I'll tell mama that you had other things to do."

She nodded, "I'll be right back, Nii-sama. After I put these boxes away, we can go."

She rushed out leaving me behind with an arrogant Shinigami. Luckily, having been around Sesshoumaru long enough, gave me the ability to be able to withstand large amounts of arrogance.

Setting the boxes down, I spoke, "Would you like some tea, Kuchiki-san?"

He looked at me, "Hn."

"Very well then, if you'll excuse me, I will be back in a moment."

* * *

><p>Byakuya couldn't believe the onna. She had understood completely what he had meant. That wasn't a feat many could accomplish. <em>I wonder how she knew.<em> He was left to ponder such things alone, while he waited for his imouto to return.

* * *

><p><em>Ugh, of all the arrogant! I can't stand them. Sesshoumaru was one thing, but that guy! Why is it that the extremely good-looking ones are the most arrogant? If I had 100 yen for every time someone did that I would be the richest person on the planet! Men, what is it about them that makes them so arrogant.<em> I silently fumed as I continued my mental tirade, only to be startled when someone shouted out my name. "Huh?"

"Kagome, you okay, you were kind of spacing out. Are there any boxes left?"

"Gomen, Ichigo. Not upstairs, just whatever is left on the first floor. Do you know Rukia-chan's brother?"

His eyes grew slightly, "Eh, Byakuya is here? I wonder why?"

"He said that they had some important matters to discuss; and that they were going home. He was taking both Abarai-san and Rukia-chan." I mumbled 'arrogant bastard' under by breath only to hear Ichigo chuckling.

"Yeah, that sounds like Byakuya. He hates having his first name used, so I do it just to piss him off." He started walking back to the house, leaving me to follow.

"Oh, so Mr. Arrogant and Sexy is named Byakuya?" He gave me a look and I felt the need to fill him in on a female secret, "Just because he is arrogant doesn't mean I can't appreciate his devastatingly good looks. We women are happy to be able to look at handsome men. It's when they open their arrogant mouths that make us lose interest." I smirked and thought of Sesshoumaru, "He reminds me of a rather gorgeous friend I used to have. That man's looks should have been for the Kami-sama themselves. I once told him that was the most handsome man I ever met. Do you know what that arrogant Inu told me, the bastard said I should feel privileged to have been able to witness his looks. Granted, we got into a rather heated argument about who should feel privileged about being in whose presence, needless to say, nobody won that fight. Although, it was rather enjoyable to partake in a friendly banter with someone who barely said more than six words a month." I smiled as I recalled the little verbal spat. _I miss him._

"You can't be serious?"

"Completely, that Inu thought he was the Kami-sama's gift to us sad, pathetic mortals." I giggled to myself at the exact same thing that Sesshoumaru used to call us.

"Sad, pathetic mortals? Wow, he sounds worse than Byakuya; and that is saying something."

"I don't think anyone could ever be more arrogant than my friend." I smiled a sad nostalgic smile. Entering the house once more, I saw Byakuya standing in the same regal position with Renji and Rukia-chan on either side of him. "Well, I guess, I'll see you around, Rukia-chan, Abarai-san. Thank you for the help today." I walked up to Rukia-chan and gave her a tight hug, "Keep Abarai-san on a tight leash, Rukia-chan. Don't be a stranger." Releasing her when I heard a scoff, I walked to Renji and patted his shoulder, "Thanks Abarai-san, you were a great help. You too, don't be a stranger." after I returned to my spot by Ichigo, I watched them walk to the shrine steps and called out, "Maybe next time we can have a civil conversation, Byakuya-chan!" I watched him falter mid step with satisfaction.

I heard Ichigo whistle, "Not many have the guts to talk like that to Byakuya."

"Yeah, well not many had the guts to argue with my friend. I can guarantee that I was one of the only ones that was able to get away with it." I smirked.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh my gods! Did Kagome actually call Byakuya "Chan!" I think she has a death with! Ha-ha. Did Sesshoumaru really fight about such a thing with Kagome? I would have thought it was beneath his notice! What is wrong with the world! Lol. Please review. I know now I have seven chapters out, but I would really appreciate reviews. I'm kind of insecure about posting my story. So like I said, please review. Not only that, the lack of reviews is making Milkshake-sama hide and it's not fun trying to find her.**

+ **Nii-sama:** Extremely formal way of saying "Older Brother."

+ **Inu:** Dog


	8. Chapter 8: Unexpected but Not Unpleasant

**Disclaimer: Me no own Inuyasha or Bleach.**

**Sorry it's taken so long for me to upload…I kind of ran into a dead end with the story and had to find a way out. Here's chapter 8!**

Chapter 8: Unexpected but Not Entirely Unpleasant

"You have everything you need?" I heard Ichigo call from the living room, "Because, sadly enough, you don't have a TV or a computer."

I walked to the living room and looked around. Having unpacked everything and said good-bye to Okaa-san, I sighed, "Yeah, I know. I was thinking about going out to get them today." I smiled;_ my own place. It feels so weird. I mean, being in the Sengoku Jidai was kind of like camping, so I don't really think that counts. Plus, when Sesshoumaru practically kidnapped me so we could train, I had my own room at the kyuutei. I'll have to get them today, so I can purify and bless this place, too._ I looked at Ichigo, "Ano," I got a suspicious look, "Since I'm new in town, I was wondering, can you take me to by them? I'll get the TV delivered if I have to."

He had a thoughtful expression, "Well, I was going to go to the store. If you don't mind taking a detour, I think it should be fine."

I practically started jumping, "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how happy that makes me. The detour wouldn't bother me at all. It'll give me a chance to learn my way around town."

"Okay, then get your stuff ready and we can walk. The store isn't that far away. I'd say lets drive, but the old man took the car." He shook his head and muttered something about baka no Otou-san obsessed with torturing their sons. "He came after me when we brought the last of your things and cornered me. When I told him that we brought everything, the baka elbowed me in the stomach and took off with the keys."

"Wow, I don't envy you. Is he like that all the time?"

"Worse, when I walk through a door at home, he jumps on me. If he manages to get to me before the alarm goes off, he jumps on me. The old man has a few loose screws." He shook his head trying to rid himself of the thoughts, "Well, you ready to go?"

I laughed and nodded as I grabbed my keys and locked the door.

* * *

><p>We walked down the street in comfortable silence; well it was, until we heard a loud commotion coming from the store in front of us.<p>

We rushed in front of the store only to see that tall man Okaa-san and I had run into earlier with the baldy and the effeminate man.

"Oi, Kenpachi! What the hell are you doing?" Ichigo yelled.

I saw a strange man with a green outer haori styled coat on the floor; while Kenpachi was laughing. "Zaraki-san, what happened?"

At the sound of my voice, said man turned and his eyes widened, "Eh, Higurashi, what are you doing here?" He walked to me and put his arm around me shoulder, "Did you come looking for a fight? 'Cuz I'd be more than happy to play. You're strong. Normally I don't care what the opponent is, but something tells me that I should with you." I bushed slightly at the feel of his rather muscular arm on my shoulders and how great if felt._ You have got to be kidding me! Zaraki-san too. What is this? i think mama jinxed me._ He looked over to a shocked Ichigo, "Oh, Ichigo, have you come for a rematch too?" Unlatching my shoulder, he stalked predatorily to Ichigo.

"No! I had stuff to get from Urahara. What the hell are you doing here? How do you know Kagome?" Ichigo, looked at me, "He didn't do anything stupid did he?"

Tilting my head to the side as a sign of confusion, I replied, "Nope, Okaa-san and I ran into him not too long ago. In fact," I narrowed my eyes and looked around, "The baldy got my stuff back after someone tried to steal it. Where did he go, he was just here?"

"Oi, I'm not bald! What the fuck!" Said bald man got in my face with his scary one, "You got something to say, shorty?"

I deadpanned, "Of course I'm short, baka, I'm a girl. And if you're not bald, what the hell do you call a lack of hair? And if you don't get out of my face right now, I'm going to force you."

He laughed and pushed his face even closer, "Eh and what can a little girl like you do?"

I smirked.

* * *

><p>Ikkaku's eyes nearly popped out of his head when the girl disappeared. He jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder and a whisper in his ear, "Oh," a slightly seductive yet hypnotizing voice spoke softly, "I can do some really wicked things if given the chance, I-ka-ku." With a small peck on his neck, just beneath his ear, Ikkaku's hand flew to his neck and he turned around only to see the girl smirking next to a laughing Ichigo, Kenpachi, and Yumichika.<p>

"What the hell?"

"What's wrong Q-Ball? Did the 'little girl' startle you," came a child's voice in Kenpachi's direction, "Did you see that Ken-chan? She was so fast!" The little girl looked at Ichigo, and waved frantically, "Ichi! Are you here to play with Ken-chan?"

Ikkaku watched as his fuku-taichou popped up from Kenpachi's back and jumped to Kagome, "Oi, what have I told you about calling me that!"

* * *

><p>I watched as the cutest little girl landed in front of me and I couldn't help but squeal, "You're so cute!" I crouched down, "I'm Higurashi, Kagome. What's your name?"<p>

She smiled widely at the attention, "I'm Kusajishi, Yachiru. Yoroshiku."

"Yoroshiku." I looked up at Kenpachi and saw a soft expression on his face as he looked at Yachiru, "Kusajishi-san, would you like some candy?"

Her expression glowed as she nodded her head vigorously as I gave her a sucker. "Ken-chan, look! It's pink!" I smiled at the odd pair, it somehow reminded me of Sesshoumaru and Rin, and I felt my eye twitch as yet another thought of that blasted inu came into my head; _if he wasn't how he was and I didn't like him so much, I would wonder what the hell was wrong with me. Well, better him than an unwanted hanyou. It's sad that it got to the point where I couldn't even stand being near Inuyasha. Where did it all go wrong? When did I start to lose my best friend and gain someone I had started to hate just as much as he did us?_

I heard Kenpachi grunt just as Ichigo spoke up, "Oi, Urahara, are you going to stay there or are you going to get up?"

I looked at the man on the floor, now known as Urahara, and almost laughed; he had made himself perfectly comfortable and even had a cup of tea.

"Oh, I think I like where I am, thank you very much. I'd prefer not to be attached but Zaraki again," his voice was aloof and humorous but slightly patronizing, and I had to wonder if anyone else heard it or if it was just me. _Maybe being around Sesshoumaru taught me more than just combat._ I, once again, felt my eye twitch at the thought of said inu.

As the conversation progressed, I tuned them all out and played with the charm bracelet Sesshoumaru left behind. I played with shiro inu that looked exactly like Sesshoumaru's beast. I smiled as I remembered a day during our training when his beast had come out with no provocation.

* * *

><p>"Miko, if you continue to lose focus, you will only continue to get hurt." Came Sesshoumaru's cold voice.<p>

"How many times do I have to tell you, I have a name? It's Kagome, Ka-Go-Me! I mean really, it's a lot easier than saying Sesshoumaru, so I would think it would be easier to remember. I would rather be known by who I am rather than what I am. And since you insist on calling me 'Miko,' from here on out, I'm calling you youkai. Since you have been doing it to me, I'm returning the favor!" I shouted as I did my best to push myself off the dojo floor. Glaring at said youkai, I returned to my stance.

He raised that far too perfect eyebrow, "Not many would dare speak to this Sesshoumaru with such disrespect. Why should this Sesshoumaru listen to the ranting of an unimportant ningen onna?"

I could practically hear the patronization dripping from his voice; _oh, that is it!_ I stood up straight, "You know what, youkai, you are absolutely right. I am so _unimportant_ that you brought me to your home to train me. I am so _unimportant_ that you saw fit to train me _yourself_. I am so _unimportant_ that nobody needs me here in the first place." I returned the katana to where it belonged and stalked to the door only to be stopped dead in my tracks when I heard laughter. I turned to find the source, then remembered that only Sesshoumaru and I were in the dojo. Turning as carefully as I could, so as not to make any sudden life-threatening movements, I looked at Sesshoumaru and saw it was _him_ laughing. I couldn't help it, I smiled. I mean, how often was it that Sesshoumaru laughed out of amusement and not when someone was on his shit list?

"It truly has been many centuries since I have been able to laugh, Kagome." I was just about ready to pass out. His laughter was incredible and he used my name._ Yup, the apocalypse is coming, there is no other explanation._ "I can laugh, Ka-Go-Me. I just never have a reason to. While not many would willingly dare to speak to me as you have, I am glad to have someone with such fire in their spirit continue to do so. Come now, Kagome, retrieve your weapon and let us resume your training."

I was frozen to my spot. The only thought I had flew out of my mouth before I even had a chance to process what it was, "You know, you should laugh and smile more often. You are much better looking and don't seem so Doom-and-Gloom-Prepare-to-Die." My hands flew to my mouth as I silently berated myself for just ending my life.

He laughed again and I thought I really was going to pass out. "Like I said fire." He smiled, "Let's return to your training Kagome, we don't have much time left until the final battle. I would much rather you be ready than almost." He waved his hand to the katana I had put away.

Nodding my head, I turned my back to retrieve it when I felt a release of youki. Freezing, I turned my head slightly and caught glimpse of a 150 foot inu. All brain functions ceased, and he pounced. Closing my eyes and putting my hands up, I awaited the life-ending impact only to be tackled and cradled. I opened my eyes and nearly passed out for the third time in less than five minutes. Holding me like I was the most fragile thing in the world was Sesshoumaru's beast.

I remembered him once explaining that youkai are basically two parts of the same tamashii. He said that there was one part was riyuu and the other was hon'nou. Lower level youkai weren't strong enough to control their hon'nou, or what is usually called their beast. The beast is hon'nou in a raw yet substantial form. Higher level youkai, or ones who have reached youma, which was not to be confused with obake, have been able to resist the pull of hon'nou and function with higher level Riyuu. Although the pull of hon'nou is incredibly strong, riyuu is valued just as much. He then told me to never assume that just because a youkai has reached youma, that he would welcome riyuu that is not his. He also told me that if ever faced with a youkai that is in a state where he has released his beast and given into hon'nou, that beast can still understand riyuu. For a youkai to be truly balanced riyuu must listen to hon'nou and hon'nou must act with riyuu; meaning that while releasing the beast, it is possible for said beast to understand its surroundings. Balance in youkai allows for one's beast to be able to reason, while the intellectual persona is able to understand hon'nou. For those who have reached youma, if they fall to hon'nou, it is possible to bring them back with riyuu, but one must show no ill intent towards the beast, for it would only provoke them further.

While trying not to panic, I did my best not to be seen as a threat, which was really easy seeing as was weaponless and he was a giant inu. I could have sworn the over-grown inu had laughed at me. Nuzzling me as carefully as he could, he lay down and got ready for a nap. The only thought running through my head was; _._ When I squirmed to try to get away, I heard him growl with disapproval.

Holding still, I looked up at the only eye I could see in the position I was in. I saw a giant red eye with a green iris and I held back a scream. Instead I went with option number two and prayed that he didn't eat me, "Well sorry, you colossal inu! If you won't let me go, then can I at least get comfortable seeing as I'm going to be stuck here till you finish your nap?" I watched as his head lifted and felt him shift his forepaws, putting me in said comfortable spot at his elbow joint and returned his head to its previous spot on his forepaws. Figuring that I might as well get some sleep too, I gently pet his fur and promptly knocked out after thinking, _if I live to survive this, since I know no one will believe me, I am going to make the best of it and pray that he remembers he's the one who put me here._

I had been woken up later by a soft nudging, "Five more minutes." I turned over on the most relaxing bed I had ever been on. When said bed started to bark out a laugh and move, I jumped to attention and realized that I had fallen asleep…on Sesshoumaru's beast. _Please don't eat me! _I scrambled to get off him and I just knew he was amused by the whole situation. _Blasted inu! Scaring the crap out of me!_

Once again, feeling youki flare, I saw it being reined in. As the light faded, out came a highly amused Sesshoumaru, "It would seem, Kagome, that my beast has taken a liking to you." I opened and closed my mouth like a fish, when nothing came out, he continued, "Never before has he come out in such a fashion. Only once has he ever taken a liking to someone, although it wasn't enough to warrant his appearance."

I still couldn't process what happened, "Give me a minute, I'm confused."

He chuckled at me, "Rin was the only other that ever caught his attention. He claimed her as pack the moment he saw her. Contrary to popular belief, I did not save her to test Tenseiga; I saved her because my beast wanted me to."

I massaged my temples, "Ugh, I'm getting a headache. What are you saying just happened?" I opened an eye and waited for his reply.

He raised that damn eye brow again, his eyes shining with amusement, "You are now considered pack, Kagome. Do you accept a position in this Sesshoumaru's pack?"

I felt my eye get impossibly large, _a position in his pack, most would do anything for such an honor!_ "This Kagome would accept a position in Sesshoumaru-sama's pack."

He nodded and gave me the gentle smile I often saw him grace Rin when he thought no one was looking. _I bet no one even knows he's a huge softy underneath, not that I ever plan to say anything. Who would believe me? He is Sesshoumaru, the Aristocratic Assassin, his name means the Killing Perfection, and he's lived up to the name and is ruling Daiyoukai of the Western lands and head of the House of the Moon. Who would have thought? Certainly not me._

"Good." He lifted his head, scenting the air, "Dinner is ready. We shall mark you as pack after."

"Sure." I smiled at youkai that had become my new Alpha.

* * *

><p>"Are you okay, Hika-chan," came the concerned voice of Yachiru.<p>

Not even noticing that I had zoned out as I fiddled with the little inu. "Eh, Hika-chan? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just remembering someone who was very dear to me. He made this bracelet a long time ago." I put my wrist out for her to see. She had an awed expression, "He made it for me. We lost contact so long ago that this was the only way for him to be with me again. He didn't leave a note or anything just a small story to go along with it."

"How do you know he made it for you?" She looked every bit the child she was caught up in a story, "See this," I pointed to the little inu, "This is supposed to be him and this," I picked up the crescent; "This is his family crest. The little neko is my friend. She loved neko. If it wasn't for her appearance you would think she was one. The little Kitsune is also my friend," by this time everyone had quieted down and was listening to me, "he loved to play pranks on someone I knew. He would have made Inari-sama proud when he had gotten older. The Hiraikotsu is for my tamashii no Onee-san. While not related by blood, she was my Onee-san. We had gotten so close, I hope she was happy." Tears started forming around my eyes.

"Was?"

"I don't know what happened to her. I left and never got the chance to give a proper good-bye." I wiped the tears and continued, "The shakujou is for the man that later became like a brother to me. He was one of the wisest people I know. He was also the biggest hentai. When I first met him, he asked me to bare his kodomo. He did that to every onna we came across, even my onee-san. The hana is for the little girl, my inu friend adopted. Kind of like you and Zaraki-san, they were an odd pair too. See this bracelet represents all my friends, so even if he didn't leave me a direct message, the message is in the charms. My family." I smiled at how she peered at the charms.

She looked up at me and asked, "What about this one?"

I tilted my head and watched as she turned the bracelet with reverent care and showed me Ah-Un and Jaken. I laughed, "The dragon with two heads, were silent twins. They got along great except for when they would bicker for the little girl's attention. As for the imp, what do I saw about him? He was the most rude, obnoxious, and utterly annoying thing in the world. But the little girl absolutely adored him and he amused her. Though I doubt he would admit it, he was quite taken with her too."

"Wow! How did you meet them?"

I looked around, seeing everyone's attention, I shook my head, "That's not a story I'm ready to tell. I miss them so very much and to tell how I met them wouldn't be the best thing for me." I ruffled her hair as she nodded.

"Yachiru."

"Ara?"

"You can call me, Yachiru." She smiled as she returned to her designated spot on Kenpachi's shoulder.

"Ano, Kagome, you ready, I got the stuff." He lifted the bag.

"Eh, yeah, I'm ready when you are." Turning around as he began to walk away, I bowed, "Nice seeing you again." I looked at Ikkaku and shouted, "You too Q-Ball," before taking off after Ichigo when I heard him yelling.

"That was surprising."

"Ara? What?"

"What you said to Yachiru. Those charms really represent your friends?"

I looked at the bracelet and brought it to my chest. "You have no idea." I smiled. He nodded and we continued our trek in silence.

* * *

><p>We reached an electronics store and went inside. Immediately I was bombarded with so many different sounds my ears had started hurting. Looking around I found the perfect laptop. After making my purchase, I asked if we could go look for TVs. With a nod, went on our way.<p>

Deciding to stop for lunch first, we headed a fast food joint, where I saw three people I never thought I would see in Karakura Town.

Having heard my groan, Ichigo looked in the direction I was trying to avoid. "Friends of yours?" He smirked.

"Is this some form of payback for when we met Renji? I really don't want to talk to them. They get so annoying, they have been trying to hook me up with this one guy went to school with for the past three years."

Three years and they still haven't let up?" He looked at me with disbelief.

"Right? I mean, I tell them I don't like the guy, but they just don't listen." I saw one of them point in my direction and wave, "Crap, here they come."

"Oh, this I got to see." He smirked.

"Don't even start." I put on a fake smile after I finished glaring at him.

"Kagome!" A girl called before we entered, "How have you been? I can't believe they expelled you! Sure you had trouble the first year and a half, but after that you became a straight A student! They should let sick people get away with things like that!"

"I heard you were moving, is that true, Kagome? What are you going to do if some girl tries to take Hojo from you? You have to be there to keep girls away from your man!"

"Hi, Kagome. It's good to see you." _Ah, good, old Ayumi. I could always count on her to be the one more interested in how I am doing than the gossip going on around me._

"Hi, guys. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, we came shopping. We went to your house, but your Okaa-san said you didn't live there anymore. Is it okay for you to be living by yourself when you're sick?" _Leave it to Eri to make me feel like I did something stupid._

I saw Ichigo raise an eye brow in amusement, "I'm not sick anymore guys. What ever was wrong with me is gone." I waved away their concern. "I was out buying some final things for my apartment. Plus, I live across the street from and work at Ichigo's Otou-san's clinic. If anything happens, I'm covered." I tried to smile but I think my ire getting to me.

"Oh, how's Ichigo?" _Yup, only Yuka can get straight to the gossip filled point._

"Ichigo, meet my friends, Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka. Guys meet Ichigo."

Yuka grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side with the others, "Kagome, is that your new boyfriend."

"I would hope not. Then again, this is something that Kagome and I would need to discuss, isn't that right, Okaa-san?"

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, this is chapter 8! Wait, who just called Kagome Okaa-san? I'll give you three guesses and the first two won't get you any yummy cookies. I know it took awhile so sorry. Please review! The less reviews I get the longer its going to take to upload, just so you know. Your reviews actually help me write my story. So like I said, please review!<strong>

+ **Kyuutei:** Palace

+ **Fuku-Taichou:** Vice Captain or Lieutenant

+ **Obake:** Shape-shifter

+ **Youma:** Human Form

+ **Riyuu:** Reason

+ **Hon'nou:** Instinct

+ **Shiro:** White

+ **Onee-san:** Older sister

+ **Hentai: **Pervert

+ **Hana: **Flower

+ Yachiru is calling Kagome by the first characters of her last and first name.


	9. Chapter 9: It Just Goes to Show

**A/N: I'm not going to put anymore disclaimers…mainly cuz this story has like 7 or 8 chapters worth…so yeah…read on!**

Chapter 9: It Just Goes To Show

The four of us turned to the deep masculine voice, "Eh," was the only thing we could think to say. "Eh? EH!"

Before us, stood a rather tall male. He looked like a sex god. Long auburn hair in a high pony tail, the deepest, emerald green eyes I had ever seen, and extremely handsome features. He was athletically built, but not overly so, and he had this gorgeous smirk. What caught my attention the most were his eyes. They held nostalgia of times long passed. They were old eyes. Eyes that had seen too much pain and death. Eyes that held immense wisdom and knowledge, but most importantly, eyes that reminded me of, "Shi-Shippou?"

That smirked turned into a full out grin, "Don't tell me, Okaa-san, that you don't recognized your own son?" He put on a fake pout and got overly dramatic with his next words, "How am I ever going to return home with such a shame? How am I going to tell _him_ that Okaa-san doesn't recognize me?" He put his hands to his hearts, pretending to cry, "The pain! How do I live with the pain?"

My eye twitched; _yup, this is definitely Shippou. I liked it better when he was the tiny little kit I had taken in. Being around Miroku taught him to be far too dramatic._ I tried to take a deep calming breath, "Keep going at this rate and I'll _give_ you pain to live with, you overly dramatic kit! Did you lose respect for your mother in the time I was gone? And what have I told you about eavesdropping?" I glared.

He pretended to look guilty, "Of course I didn't lose respect for you, Okaa-san! As for what you told me, well it was _so_ _long ago,_ I don't think I remember."

I felt my miko-ki fluctuate with my irritation. During said mini episode, Ichigo had made his way to my side, "Hey Kagome, you okay? Is this guy bothering you?" He glared at Shippou.

I put my hand on his arm and shook my head, "No, he's not bothering me; but, if he keeps being so dramatic, I think I'm going to ground him till his kits' kits have kits."

All four of them looked at me like I was crazy. Sadly, it was Eri that spoke out first, "Kits, Kagome? Have your medications gone to your head? What's wrong with you? Why are you talking like that? Are you relapsing? I mean, seriously, you have to fix that head of yours." _Yup, leave it to Eri. She's the only one that can make someone feel stupid even if she's trying to make it seem like she's concerned._

"Not now, Eri. You wouldn't understand. I have some extremely weird friends. This little guy definitely falls under that category. Isn't that right, Shippou?"

"Okaa-san, is that all you have to say to me after all these years! The shame! Okaa-san doesn't love me anymore! How will I go on? How will I return to _him_ and tell him of my failure of epic proportions?" He pretended to cry, making my eye twitch yet again. _Now I know how a certain hanyou felt when the little brat got out of hand._

"Wait, you keep saying _him_; is it-" I couldn't finish my question. Luckily, I didn't have to, as my hand flew to my forehead signifying the person I was asking about.

He grew solemn and smiled softly, "Yeah, Okaa-san, he's still alive. He took me after you disappeared. He is mine too, but these aren't things to speak of with others around."

During all this, I noticed that Ichigo had been especially quiet, "Ichigo is everything alright?"

He turned his narrow eyes on me and spoke in a serious tone, "Kagome, let me see your bracelet." I tilted my head in question and raised my wrist. I watched as he turned the bracelet, looking at the charms until he came to the little Kitsune with the green bow. "They have the same coloring. Even the eyes are the same color." He looked me straight in the eye, "Is this him?"

I held back a gasp, having forgotten that I had described my friends to Yachiru. I nodded and whispered that I would explain later.

Shippou turned to my friends, startling us all when he spoke in a husky tone, "So, ladies, how about you and I go out to a nice dinner, then we can 'play' after and have a _really_ good time." I watched as my friends looked scandalized and groaned. _Damn it, why did he have to be Kitsune? Why did he have to be exposed to Miroku? Damn, Kitsune! Hentai, the lot of them! Creatures of sensuality and seduction! That is the only way to describe them. That's why they look like sex gods, because they practically are! Ugh!_

My eye twitched yet again and I grabbed Shippou by the ear, knowing that for youkai, kenshi no youkai especially, the ears were one of the most sensitive parts of their body. Making him yelp, I smirked in satisfaction and stated, "Is this how you treat your Okaa-san after all these years? Completely ignore her and try to seduce her friends, _while _she is standing _right next to _you?"

I planted my hands on my hips holding the pose I knew he recognized from all the times I argued with a certain hanyou.

I watched as happiness overtook his face, rolled my eyes, and yelped when he picked me up and started spinning me around, "Okaa-san, I haven't seen that pose in so long! Oh, I missed it so much!" He laughed.

I joined him and returned his hug.

When he finally deemed it time to relinquish his tight hold on me, I looked at the others, "Sorry Yuka, Eri, Ayumi. I'm going to have to talk to you later. I need to walk Ichigo home and catch up with my little kit." I hugged each of them and smiled, "Don't worry, it's been a really long time since me and him have seen each other and we need to catch up. I'll call you guys later and then maybe we can go shopping? I'm thinking of redoing my entire wardrobe, because I have entirely too much pink. I can't stand pink anymore. Is that okay?"

I watched as Eri and Yuka wrestled with a decision, while Ayumi looked like she was ready to go. Ayumi broke the others out of their mini wars and made the decision for them, "Of course Kagome. Call us the next time you're free. It really was good to see you again. I hope things work out for you with your new job. Have fun." She was almost dragging the other two and I giggled; _I have never seen her so aggressive._

* * *

><p>"So, Okaa-san, who is your friend?" I heard the strain in his voice, but doubted if Ichigo could.<p>

"Shippou, I would like you to meet my new friend and neighbor, Kurosaki, Ichigo. Ichigo, meet my son-"

"Hayashi, Shippou. Yoroshiku, Kurosaki -san. So, who are you and how do you know Okaa-san?" Shippou glared at the orange-haired Shinigami daikou.

"Shippou, where are your manners?" I stopped and did my best to admonish my wayward kit. "I taught you better than that, and I sure as hell know that _he_ did, too."

He grabbed me and pulled me to his chest, releasing a subsonic growl that I heard perfectly. "No, Okaa-san. That boy isn't ningen. I won't have you in harm's way now that I have the power to protect you. He smells ningen but at the same time he doesn't. I can scent death all over him."

Ichigo's eyes nearly popped out of his head and I tried not to laugh. Just as quickly, they narrowed to slits and I felt his aura flare in defense. Shifting my eyes, I watched as his aura darkened at the feel of a possible threat. Looking at Shippou's, I saw how it wrapped around mine in a protective layer, while brushing up against Ichigo's trying to get a feel as to what he was.

"What the hell do you mean, I 'smell ningen but at the same time don't'?" I gasped at the visual presented to me courtesy of Ichigo's aura. Instead of staying a deep red, black started to spread from his body till the red merely wrapped around the black.

"Shippou, he has two auras." Releasing my eyes, I spoke quietly, "Ichigo is there someone else inside you?" At his shocked expression, I immediately knew I was right. "I think we need to finish this at the apartment." Shippou's growl got louder and I growled right back, demanding his submission. As proper, subtly bared his neck and I nodded just as subtly. "I didn't ask for your permission, kit. I don't care how old you have gotten, you are still my _son_. Now," I turned back to Ichigo, "We will talk about this back at my place like civilized people. I understand that there are parts I cannot share because I need _his_ permission, but I will share what I can." Grabbing Shippou by the arm, I led the way to my home.

* * *

><p>Opening the door, I ushered the two males into my living room. I watched as they sat at opposite ends of the room while I put my new laptop on the dining table and started to prepare tea. <em>How am I going to explain to Ichigo that Shippou is youkai? How am I going to explain to Shippou that Ichigo is Shinigami? Man, why do these things have to happen to me? I really do think the Fates are out to get me. They never let me have a little bit of peace. They always have to pick on poor little Kagome. They can't ever let me have a month of freedom from the chou shizen no sekai. This is going to be very interesting.<em>

Once the tea was ready, I passed it out and sat on the couch between the two. Of course, Shippou, having not seen me in centuries, came to the couch, placed me on his lap, and started nuzzling my hair. "Okaa-san, I missed your scent. You always smell so good, no matter what Bakayasha said." I smiled and patted his arm, keeping my eye on Ichigo when I saw him narrow his.

I sighed, "Okay, this is going to be difficult to explain, but I need _both of you_ to keep an open mind." With the voice I learned from that blasted inu I spoke, "Is that understood. I will not have both of you at each others throats when you find out the truth."

Shippou surprised me by speaking first, "Oh, I know exactly what he is, Okaa-san. That is exactly why I don't want you around him. You forget just how many years I have lived, Okaa-san. I have seen plenty of _his kind_ around," he spat the words. "It's just easier for our kind to pretend that they don't exist. Why should we concern ourselves with matters that are not ours? We live too long to care what _they_ do in the present. Our kind has all eternity ahead of us." He looked as though just being in the same room was disgusting.

It was my turn to narrow my eyes, "Did your time with me teach you nothing? Or did that overgrown inu stomp out anything I taught you in all the time you were under his care? No son of mine is going to disrespect someone simply for what they are. Have you forgotten that I am ningen? Have you forgotten that you are youkai?" I heard Ichigo suck in a breath, but I was on a roll, "If you chose to live by those standards, you are telling me that I should have left you alone, _Kitsune._" I stood.

Shippou panicked, "Okaa-san, that's not-I shouldn't-gomen. You're right. I should watch what I say. You're completely right. Being raised by him, you tend to pick up certain habits."

I pointed to Ichigo, "Don't apologize to me, apologize to him." I crossed my arms and waited.

Shippou sighed, "Gomen, Kurosaki-san. I shouldn't have said what I did. It was rude of me. I really should have known better. Especially when my second chance at life and Okaa-san are something I am not."

I watched as Ichigo nodded, "Don't worry about it. Just tell me what's going on. I don't like not knowing."

"Ichigo, this is going to be a really long story. I suggest you get comfortable." Waiting for his signal, I began my story when he was ready, "Alright, now let me tell you a story about a cursed Tama and a journey of heartache, death, intertwined destinies, and an evil that thrived on chaos, deception, and destruction." I took a deep breath and truly began the story that changed my life.

* * *

><p>"By the time I realized what happened, I had already been sent back to my side of the well in the same condition that I had been when the Tama had absorbed me."<p>

Not once was I interrupted. I patiently sat waiting for someone to speak. Once again, it was Shippou that spoke first, "That's why you brought extra things with you the last time you came through; why you said good-bye right before the battle started." I simply nodded.

"You went through all that in three years?" I nodded again. "This Sesshoumaru guy, he's still around, right? Why hasn't he come looking for you?"

I looked at Shippou for the answer, "He spent years looking for Okaa-san. It drove him nuts for the first century. He panicked thinking someone took you. Hon'nou demanded that he find you. As Alpha, it's his duty to make sure pack is safe and healthy. Hon'nou couldn't accept riyuu and understand that you were returned and not kidnapped. He we even more cold and deadlier than before he met Rin; and _that_ is saying something." He put his chin on his folded hands, elbows planted on his legs.

He spoke as if trying to work something out, "Unlike our animal counterparts, Kitsune have packs. We need to be surrounded by friends and family. We crave contact. It's why we are always touching people we are familiar with. Even then, I knew the proper dynamics of pack, which is why I always thought of Kagome as Alpha. Since I was the last of my family; when Kagome accepted me as her son, she automatically became Alpha to me. Just as I'm sure that Sango, Miroku, and Kirara thought the same thing. Sure, Inuyasha beat us when it came to brute strength, but being Alpha is more than that. This is why no one ever thought he was Alpha, even if he deluded himself into thinking such. His riyuu believed him Alpha, but his hon'nou knew that you were.

"To be Alpha, you have to keep the pack safe, which Inuyasha never did. His idiocy of jumping into battle put us in more danger than if he would have thought about his moves first. You have to support the pack, be it with food and water or when a pack-mate is injured, which Kagome did by bring food and bandages whenever she would return from her era. You have to keep the pack healthy, both physically and mentally, in which Kagome did her best. You also have to keep the pack in running order and keep pack mates in line, and I can guarantee that she certainly did that. Kagome had all the makings of Alpha. Alpha can be either male or female, and to us Kagome was Alpha. When she showed us her inner strength, she showed us that she was capable of holding the title of Alpha.

"Funny thing is that she never knew she was Alpha. No one bothered to tell her; so when Okaa-san accepted Sesshoumaru-sama as her Alpha, she became Beta, our pack merged with his and he became Alpha. Problem with that was that, although he knew she was Alpha, he could do nothing about the rest of us because _she_ didn't know. It is a very complicated process and one usually based more on hon'nou than riyuu, so we didn't mind that she followed Sesshoumaru-sama. In the end, he still took up the mantle of Alpha for our pack when we traveled together. After Kagome left, for lack of a better word, so did Sango, Miroku, and Kirara. Sesshoumaru-sama took me in knowing that he was my Alpha because Kagome had originally been mine and he later became hers. Like I said, it's complicated." He looked at me and smiled, "I just thought that you should know, Okaa-san. That way, you aren't out of the loop. However, I am surprised that you haven't felt his call."

I tilted my head in confusion. Thinking back I suddenly snapped my fingers, "Shippou, I did feel his call. Look." I showed him the charm bracelet. "This has minute traces of his youki. So did three other items. Okaa-san, Souta, and Jii-chan each have one. Okaa-san said she felt the call."

Looking at Ichigo while Shippou studied the bracelet I smiled, "Remember that I told you I ran into Zaraki-san not too long ago? It was the same day that I bought these with Okaa-san. The shop keeper told us a legend about this. He said-"

"Hey, I remember this!" Shippou was practically jumping out of his seat. "Sesshoumaru-sama made it! It took him a couple of weeks, because he had no idea what to use. Rin suggested that he use something from each of us. He came to us with his idea and we gave him what he asked for. I gave him fur from my tail and cut a small strip from my ribbon. Kirara game him some fur too. Let's see, if I remember correctly, Sango and Miroku both gave him chips off their weapons. I saw him take a scale from Ah-Un and wood from the staff for Jaken. Rin has always had a passion for flowers so he used a sapphire and carved one in the shape of her favorite flower. The inu really is diamond and the markings were other tama. As for the crescent, I have no idea. I didn't see and he wouldn't tell me." He shrugged. "Okay, next subject. It's your turn, Kurosaki-san."

"Ichigo and I guess. I'm not that good at stories so bare with me on this." He took a deep breath and started.

* * *

><p>"Now, I'm stuck on the sidelines, while everyone else is out fighting. I hate not being able to do anything. I hate feeling so useless. The other day, on my way back from Urahara's, I was stopped by a man named Ginjo. He said he could help me get back my power. It wouldn't be my Shinigami power but it would make it so that I could be on the front lines helping my friends and protecting them. I want to take his offer, but something inside me is telling me that it's a bad idea. I just don't know what to do."<p>

Shippou and I shared a long look. "I think you should do it."

Ichigo looked at me. "Seriously? You really think I should do it?"

"Yeah, sure hon'nou is screaming at you not to but, this is something that you need to do. Something really good will come out of it in the end. I mean I was in a similar position as you when Sesshoumaru-sama told me I was going to train with him. Hon'nou screamed 'BAD IDEA,' which I assure you, was a bad idea at the time. In the end, though there were major nightmare-worthy, sleep-remedy needed, life-threatening hardships, everything turned out great." I smiled, "I'm not going to pretend to know anything about the world you live in, while I'm willing to learn, I won't leave you alone to struggle with this. If you ever need someone to talk to, and you other friends won't understand, you'll have me and Shippou. No matter how much of an immature kit he can be." To an indignant "Oi," I rolled my eyes and stood, they followed my example. "Now, since you, my lovely little kit, deprived me of my lunch, you get to take us sad, little mortals out to an early dinner, maybe we can buy my TV while we're at it. Hopefully they can deliver it tonight or tomorrow. I am not very fond of sleeping in haunted places."

"What does a TV have to do with haunting? If you want I can get someone to perform a konso-"

"No, that won't be necessary. I will perform the exorcism when I get my TV. Think of it as a new beginning. By doing it myself, I am not only passing on the tamashii, I am cleansing the aura of the apartment. I'm taking everything into consideration. You are both welcome to watch, if you'd like."

Shippou was almost glowing, "Okaa-san, it's been so long since I've seen your miko-ki. I am definitely staying for that." He turned to Ichigo, having gotten used to him and spoke just like the little kit that used to fit on my shoulder, "Oh, you have got to see her work. She is breath-taxingly beautiful. When Okaa-san is in her element, she is amazing."

Ichigo smirked, "I wouldn't miss seeing the last Miko do her job." The way he looked at me gave me chills and made my heart race. _What the hell? Why is my heart racing? First Renji, now Ichigo. Are the Fates trying to find me a boyfriend?_ I stole a quick glance back at Ichigo as we walked down the street. _I certainly hope not. I have enough to deal with; a boyfriend will just get in the way. I don't want to be hung up on another guy that I would never have a chance with._ I almost stopped. Almost; _who says I'll never have a chance with either of them? I changed a lot these past three years. I know I am definitely not ugly, and while I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I am really good looking. I matured in all the right places. Why am I telling myself that I'm a knock-out when I don't want a boyfriend? Ugh that's it, no more thinking on an empty stomach around good looking males._

I pulled myself out of my revere when I noticed we were at a high class restaurant. "Shippou, fast food would have been fine."

He shook his had and put his arm on my shoulder, "Nope, only the best for my Okaa-san when I'm around. Well, Okaa-san, Ichigo, shall we?" He held open the door as the two of us walked in.

When we reached out seats, I saw Ichigo shift uncomfortably and I whispered, "Don't worry, you're not the only one."

He whispered back, "I feel so out of place. I don't want to be rude and say anything. I normally have no problem speaking my mind, but him being, well, him, makes me think twice. Plus, this is the kind of place I would picture Byakuya coming to."

I giggled and talked normally, "Just so you know, Ichigo, he heard every word." When Shippou grinned, Ichigo's eyes widened, "Seriously? And I hear I thought whispering was safe. Man, I won't be able to win that one. What exactly can you do, Shippou?"

He shrugged, "Illusions that are beyond perfect. I control fire. I discovered a couple centuries back that I can create barriers. Like all doubutsu no youkai, I can talk to my animal counterparts. I, roughly, understand other kenshi no youkai's natural language. I have a true form, which is a lot bigger than the average Kitsune. My youma state shows my tails, which can be very disconcerting for ningen to see, so I cast an illusion to hide them, my pointed ears, and claws. I leave my fangs along since it is actually a mutation in ningen, so while they are rare, I could pretend to have that mutation. Sesshoumaru-sama taught me to create a second skin of fire. Which was a great help, back then. It worked as a great defense and an even better offense, because I could extend that second skin to my attacker and burn him with it. I can run fast that the bullet train, I'm stronger than you can imagine, I can see perfectly. For example, you could hold a book five miles away, and I would be able to read it like I was holding it. I have awesome night vision. My hearing is just as good as my eyesight. My sense of smell if 400 times more sensitive the best blood hound. Which, let me tell you, in this era is shitty. It reeks like no other. Luckily, I can lower my senses to a bearable level. Let's see, what else. Oh yeah, just like Japanese legends, I am an obake."

Ichigo whistled, "Wow, I'm impressed. I hope you never have a run-in with Kenpachi. That guy just loves to fight like there's no tomorrow."

As I listened to Shippou, I radiated pride. "Oh, Shippou, my little kit is all grown up." I started tearing, "Inari-sama has blessed my kit well in his long life. She has my thanks and eternal gratitude for allowing my son in all but blood to grow into a strong young youkai." I placed my hand on his cheek as he puffed his chest out at the praise I was giving him.

"Yeah, Inari-sama has led me to a wonderful Okaa-san. I thank her everyday for giving me a change to meet you." He grabbed my hand.

"Inari-sama?" Ichigo asked puzzled.

"Inari-sama is the patron goddess to Kitsune. She uses Kitsune as her messengers. In return she grants us our abilities. She showed the first Kitsune she chose to deliver messages illusions so that she could complete his mission safely. The second she granted speed, strength, and enhanced senses so that he may protect the first messenger. She also granted them longevity so that they would be present should she ever need them again. The first two mated and created the first Kitsune youkai. Unlike other Kitsune, these two didn't feel the impulse to be solitary. They enjoyed each other's company and thus taught their children to crave company as well. This was passed on to each generation to the point where craving contact and company became hon'nou."

"Wow, I never knew Inari-sama was such a major player in our history. I mean, we have our religions, but they made it seem like the gods didn't interact with ningen in a way."

Shippou chuckled, "Each of us is born with a vision of our goddess. Even now she calls us to do her bidding and we are honored to be chosen."

* * *

><p>After dinner, we went to buy my TV. While there, I found the perfect black 38" TV and I was in heaven. Also purchasing an amazing sound system, they promised to deliver it in a few hours. We walked around town just enjoying the evening when Ichigo froze next to me. "Ichigo what's wrong?"<p>

"Eh, oh nothing, I thought I saw someone I used to know." He shook his head, "Everyone thinks that I lost my ability to _see_, I didn't, so when I see the others fighting, I have to fight myself to go and help because I know I'll be in the way. It's not a pleasant feeling."

Shippou nodded, "Yeah, I know. Back then, I was just a child. I tried doing my part, but, in the end, I was in the way. You just have to make yourself stronger, isn't that why you're going to take Ginjo's offer? I've never met the guy, but if he can help you, I'm all for it. Speaking of going, I have to so that I can get a hold of Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm going to warn you Kagome, how his strength has become might be really uncomfortable for you. He was young when we meet him, he still is, but his strength is something ancient, but he is still the ice prick. That hasn't changed," he laughed. Giving me a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek, he told me he would come over tomorrow.

I grabbed Ichigo's hand. When I felt him tighten his grip around mine, I began walking, "Come on. Everything will turn out the way it's supposed to in the end, so it's no use thinking about it. Thinking to much gives you headaches, and that's no fun. Now tell me more about this Ginjo character."

As he went into his monolog, I thought about what I had learned about Shinigami from Renji. _Does that mean Izanami-sama has her own messengers as well? This doesn't make sense. Why would people lose themselves to so much negativity? Well, not like it's going to change anytime soon, just look at Kikyo. In the end, Inuyasha mated her and she came back to life for real. I don't get how he couldn't let her go. She became something other. She was no longer a Miko and she still hated Inuyasha. That relationship was doomed for a reason. She was a perfect example of why one shouldn't fall to negative emotions. I don't want to think these things, it brings about sad memories._

"Other than that, I don't really know much about him."

"Well, I can tell you that I don't want to meet him."

"Why not?"

I sighed, "You met him before you met me. That alone tells me that it's not my place to meet him. At least, not yet. There will come a point in time that our paths will cross, but that crossroads is further down our paths. You need to remember that I have been the Fates favorite toy for years now, as such, I look at things from a different point of view. I'm not supposed to meet him anytime soon, but I will tell you this, from what you have said, he isn't one to be trusted. Everything he said is too good to be true."

He looked deep in thought before he answered, "You really think he can't be trusted? I will admit, you're right that it's too good to be true, but what choice do I have?"

"Oh, I'm not saying don't go. I'm just saying don't trust him. Be careful around him." I tilted my head, "How's your friend Ishida-san? Have you gone to visit him?"

"He's at his dad's hospital."

I immediately understood, "Bummer, it really is a shame. I'd go visit him for you, but that might be a little weird."

"I've been wondering, how old is Sesshoumaru?"

_Now that is a question a wasn't expecting,_ "Let's see. 2, 50, add the 500," I looked at Ichigo, "If I remember correctly, and add the time I was gone, he's probably around three thousand seven hundred years old, give or take a few decades. And he is still incredibly young. I think his Otou-san was fifteen thousand something, but like I said, still incredible young."

I noticed we were standing in front of my building, "You should get going, I still have a couple of things I need to move around, plus I have to ask Nishimura-san if I can paint my rooms. I think blue and plum would do nicely."

"Yeah, I should get home before the old man goes crazy on-"

"Oi, you worthless son! Where have you-Oh, Kagome-chan! I didn't know this baka was with you. Was he at least good for something?"

I smiled, "Of course Kurosaki-san," I laughed as Ichigo rolled his eyes, "Ichigo was an amazing help. I'm afraid I dragged him all around town looking for a couple of things. I feel bad that we ran into a couple of my old friends. They can be such drama queens."

Kurosaki-san smiled, "Oh please, call me Isshin. I'm not all that fond of titles Kagome-chan. It's good to know we have such a lovely neighbor. Well, I'm going to have to steal Ichigo away. I hope you had a lovely day. Bye-bye!"

I smiled and waved before excusing myself and telling Ichigo that it was tomorrow, knowing he would understand.

* * *

><p>Isshin watched as Kagome went inside, "Ichigo, her room."<p>

"I know, don't worry, it's covered. So, what did you want?"

Isshin fake pouted and put him in a head lock as he started walking home, :Did you forget it's almost seven, we have dinner at seven! I won't allow for anyone to break tradition!"

"Oi, old man, I already ate with Kagome! Let me go, that hurts!" Ichigo elbowed him in the gut, "I said that freaken hurt you baka old man!" He walked away, leaving Isshin to twitch spastically in front of the house.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: okay here is chapter 9! Wow, that was the longest chapter I have ever written! I think I may have over packed this chapter…I'm not sure. As I'm sure some of you have noticed, yes I'm using terms from bleach. I want to use the terms Kubo Tite-sama has been using so that I don't mix things up. I haven't been using terms from Inuyasha, at least I don't think I have, mainly because the Sengoku Jidai is over and those terms would no longer be used in the modern world. I made that part up about Inari-sama. Please review!**

+ **Kenshi no Youkai:** Canine Demon

+ **Kit:** Young Kitsune

+ **Hayashi:** Grove

+ **Shinigami Daikou:** Substitute Death God

+ **Chou Shizen no Sekai:** Supernatural World

+ **Konso:** Soul Burial

+ **Doubutsu no Youkai:** Animal Demon


	10. Chapter 10: That Was Amazing

Chapter 10: That Was Amazing

What no one noticed was a small neko atop the Kurosaki house watching with barely concealed interest; _I finally found you._

* * *

><p>Once Shippou left Kagome's, he dialed a number from memory. "Kit, there had better be a good reason you are calling this number," came the cold voice of his Alpha and Daiyoukai, Sesshoumaru.<p>

"Yeah, you need to call the others, I have something important you are going to want to hear, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Hn," was followed by a dial tone._ Baka Inu, couldn't he have at least said good-bye? No, because then he wouldn't be him. Self-righteous prick. _Shippou rolled his eyes and put his phone away.

* * *

><p>Driving to the outskirts of Tokyo, he pulled into a driveway that led through an immense forest.<p>

When he arrived at Sesshoumaru's house, he took in the sight. It looked smaller than the average samurai kyuutei. It had always amazed him that Sesshoumaru never had an over-the-top kyuutei. It was ironically humbling, considering the larger-than-life Daiyoukai. Small enough that you would never suspect a Youkai Ryoushu to live there, yet big enough to house his staff and a small army. Another thing that had caught him by surprise was that Sesshoumaru didn't keep his entire army with him. He had set up villages in strategic areas around the kyuutei. Far enough to be hidden and unsuspecting, yet close enough arrive when needed. He never begrudged his army and staff, for he never called them servants, their families or vacation. He was actually a fair ruler despite his cold demeanor and deadly reputation. It was those that annoyed him, got in his way, challenged him, or that he despised that could be found at the end of his blade never to return and try such transgressions again. Sadly, that was a very long list.

The land surrounding his home was a forest. Acres upon acres of forest could be seen. While he was still the ruling Daiyoukai of the West, most of it had been industrialized, he kept a tenth of the original land to keep him home on. That tenth held more forest and wild life than half the zoos in Japan. He kept the central part of the west as his home. This included his armies' villages. Having lived his life by the most strict of honor codes, his honor would never allow him to force someone, who had been beyond loyal, trustworthy, and just as honorable, from their ancestral homes. While they became small towns, they did their best to keep the air as taint free as possible. No kidding, there was a spot designated for cars so the exhaust would taint the air. Sesshoumaru's personal lands were a haven to all youkai who served under him; a place where they could be who they truly were. It even allowed for all youkai, who reached a youma state, to take their true forms. While he no longer needed his army, they stayed true to their ruling Dai. Even now, they continue to train in the ways of old and new; even if it was only to keep the tradition alive.

On Sesshoumaru's lands, traveling by true form was the way to go. Not many youkai could stand the confines of a car. It was too restricting for being that lived by freedom. That's why, for those who chose to travel the same way as ningen, many hand motorcycles. It was the closest form of ningen travel that was akin to freedom. In fact, Sesshoumaru was one of the very few that even had a car, but that was mostly because of his business. He could never be allowed to appear disheveled.

Having arrived to the kyuutei, by way of his true form, he could tell the others were already there. Going to the front door, he was soon greeted by an annoying voice, "Shippou-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama is already in his study," said Jaken in that squawking and obnoxious voice. With a slight nod in his direction, Shippou quickly made his way to Sesshoumaru's study with a shudder, knowing Jaken would be following closely behind.

Having played one too many a prank in his youth, Shippou had his very own seat, and at the time, it had been facing the darkest scariest corner. It still gave him discomfort to meet in the study. While it had been a many years since he was sent in for punishment, he still remembered being forced to read the most boring scrolls that spoke of absolutely nothing and made no sense what-so-ever. While he had been there many times, such punishments never seemed to deter him in his youthful pranking endeavors. Luckily, as time went on, his seat no longer faced that dreaded corner.

After knocking on the door, he entered without waiting for a reply. Surveying the room, he saw that everyone was waiting. Nodding, he went to his seat, waiting for the questions to begin before they would even let him start his story.

"What is the meaning behind the, Kit?" Spoke Sesshoumaru from behind his desk.

"Yeah, what the hell is so important that you had to drag us away from our busy lives to meet?" The once proud Ookami youkai said.

"Silence, Ookami." Sesshoumaru growled out in annoyance, "Well, Kit?"

Shippou smirked, "I found her."

"I am not in the mood for your games, Kit. Found who," said the stoic Daiyoukai. Apparently, his patience had decided to extend its vacation, yet again.

"Kagome."

With that once name said, the room was silent. So silent, even their breathing could be heard, and for a youkai, it meant a dead silence. The room erupted with questions from everywhere in the room. When they realized that none of them were going to get answers, they quieted down, giving room to continue.

"She's living in a town called Karakura Town. In a small, but decent apartment, by herself. She just moved in there today."

"What is she doing there?" Kouga all but yelled, "What is Kagome-"

"Let me finish you baka. Yelling at me isn't going to get your questions answered. It's going to irritate me, and keep me silent." Shippou glared at the man who tried to claim his mother for three years, then smirked in sadistic satisfaction that he lost her forever, since he had ended up mating 50 years after she was taken from them. With that, he explained everything he learned from the time he saw her in front of the fast food joint to the time he left, including the well, leaving out the little details about Ichigo and his business seeing as it was irrelevant and none of theirs. They wanted to know about Kagome, not Ichigo.

"I see. Well I think it's time we pay her a visit. Don't you think?" Inuyasha spoke up for the first time.

"No," came Shippou's determined voice.

"And why the hell not, you brat," yelled Inuyasha.

"Do you really think that after all this time, she wants to see _you_? After what you did, she doesn't want anything to do with you." Kouga looked between the two, "What did the bakayaro do to Kagome?"

"Oh you mean you don't know?"

Inuyasha glared at the kit, while a now pale Kikyo tried to pacify her mate, "Keep your mouth shut, you little fucker, or I'll shut it for you."

A voice full of dominance spoke over the tension, "Inuyasha, let the Kit speak, for This One is curious as to what he has to say."

Inuyasha turned his glare to his brother, doing his best to hold back a growl, knowing that it could be seen as a challenge for Alpha.

Shippou laughed, "Oh this is rich. You mean to tell me that no one knows? I had thought it would have gotten out, with how Sango and Miroku were. I know I talked about it quite a bit. I'm surprised no one noticed how we all hated you. I can't say that still I don't; then again, the only time I hate you is when I have to see your ugly mug. The only reason you're here is because it didn't occur to me that Sesshoumaru-sama was going to call you."

"Shippou, that's enough." Inuyasha sounded tired, "It was a long time ago."

"For whom was it a long time ago, Inuyasha? For you and _that_," he gestured to Kikyo, "Or for Kagome? You forget Bakayaro; she's been here for a little less than a month. Time passed differently for us and her. She didn't have five hundred years to deal with it. She's had a year. And you know Kagome, she can hold a grudge; not to mention, that's not something someone can get over in a year." He felt smug when he saw Inuyasha's eyes widen. _Bakayaro, it didn't even occur to him what she was feeling. It never does. It's always about what he wants. Selfish ass whole._

"What is he talking about _Otouto_," Sesshoumaru spat the word with disgust.

"Nothin'. He ain't talkin' about nothing'." Inuyasha looked down in shame.

When Sesshoumaru raised an eye brow, Shippou decided to enlighten everyone, "About two and a half years after Kagome arrived in the Sengoku Jidai, Inuyasha made a certain _proposal _to Kagome." All eyes widened around the room, except for Sesshoumaru, of course. "He told her he would mate her in a week's time, telling her he wanted to give her ample time to make what ever preparations she would need. By then, she knew that mating was completely different than marriage. Sango had been teaching her the ways of youkai, as I'm sure that Sesshoumaru-sama had also done when she went with him. He had a household full of youkai and she didn't need to send the wrong message to anyone. That's also why she started dressing appropriately for that era. Well, when the week's time was up, they went into forest to do their thing." _I like this era's language better, there are something's you can get away with saying and it'll make things a whole lot easier_.

"As they were finished with the first part of the ritual and had just gotten started on the actual mating, the clay one sent her shinidamachuu. Inuyasha just got up, dressed, and ran to her as fast as a bat out of hell. He left Kagome in the forest, alone, unclothed, and scenting of arousal; leaving her there completely defenseless at the mercy of whatever youkai would have been the first to scent her arousal and take her. Her scent without arousal calls countless youkai because of her purity and cleanliness; imagine what it's like with it?" He watched the others' reactions. Kouga looked ready to kill a mutt, Shiori looked horrified, and Ginta and Hakkaku looked just as disgusted as Ayame. Jinenji looked sad, for he never really had the heart to be mean. Jaken looked scandalized. Rin, good sweet Rin, looked like she wanted to cry. Shippou looked at his mate, seeing her ready to shed tears; he tucked her under his arm and put his chin on her head. Rin cried into her mate's chest. Sesshoumaru wasn't shocked to say the least. He had always known Inuyasha had no honor, and Shippou learned quite quickly that he had agreed with his Alpha on that point.

Then there was Inuyasha. Inuyasha, glared at Shippou with hatred. He just shrugged it off, after 500 years, Shippou couldn't bring himself to care about Inuyasha. When he was little, his tiny heart was filled with hatred for the hanyou, but as he grew older, he found a way to deal with it. It was easier to make Inuyasha nonexistent in his heart and mind than acknowledge he was even alive. As far as he was concerned, unless he had to actually deal with said hanyou personally, then he told himself that he didn't exist.

"Didn't you ever wonder why Kagome no longer spoke to Inuyasha like she used to? How the moment he would open his mouth, he was face-planted? She stopped defending him, stopping piggy-backing with him. Ever wonder why we completely ignored everything he had to say and would leave him behind the moment he caught sight of the shinidamachuu? I mean, the moment he scented _it_, he would take off. When he did, we would pack up our stuff and go find another clearing. She even sealed her way home from him."

"Half-breed. This One must say that he is not surprised. This One always knew you lacked honor, this being brought to light has merely solidified that fact. That is also another reason that you would never be recognized as pack. This One knew you disgraced the blood of our great and terrible Otou-sama and is ashamed that you share his blood." Sesshoumaru rose carefully from his seat, showing his imposing height, "Inuyasha, disgraced son of the former Inu Taishou, leave this house and never return. Take your mate and live with the knowledge that you will never be granted asylum nor will you ever be welcomed upon the land of your ancestors. As Daiyoukai of the West, and head of the House of the Moon, you are banished from the West and the House of the Moon, for the transgressions against the Miko of the West and the House of the Moon."

Everyone watched as Sesshoumaru pulsed in resonance with the land. As both continued to pulse, they saw Inuyasha and Kikyo pulse in timing with their Daiyoukai. A subtle shift in the land told all who lived on and were connected to the West that two of its inhabitants had become unwelcome.

"The fuck! You can't do that you arrogant prick! This land was my Otou-san's too! He left it to both of us! You can't kick me off my birth right! Only he has that power! Not that you care, after all, I'm just a hated half breed! I'm a pain in your ass! You never cared for me, and I was left to fend for myself! And you say you have honor. You prick, you have no fucken honor!" Inuyasha yelled.

Sesshoumaru raised a perfectly shaped, sliver brow and spoke in his emotionless tone, "You are wrong, Inuyasha. I am head of both Houses. When Otou-sama died, he told me that both houses were my responsibility. I was to rule with honor and dignity. He also told me that I was never to be allowed to be near you when you were growing up. Unless anything should happen to your Okaa-san. The morning after Izayoi died, I went to the House of Setsuna to collect you and raise you as Otou-sama would have wanted. They denied me, telling me that you had run off. I told them I was to take responsibility for you so they wouldn't have to. Again they denied me. You were 9 summers old when I went to find you. I searched ten years for you. By the time I found you, you yourself denied me and declined the offer I had given. Or have you forgotten? I will not be responsible for your lack of honor when you yourself refused to come to the land of your ancestors. When you denied me, you denied your birth right. I tried to explain that to you that night centuries ago. When you denied the land, the land denied you. While you may have lived on the West, the West did not see you as a part of its House."

"Fuck the West, it's just a piece of dirt you baka inu!"

"Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru snarled. Everyone backed away. All knew that an angry Sesshoumaru was a deadly Sesshoumaru. "Don't speak of things you have no knowledge of! The West is alive. All cardinal points are alive. The Lands chose who rules them. The House of the Moon, more importantly the Inu clans, have ruled the West for many generations because the _West_ chose us." Shippou watched as Sesshoumaru took a calming breath, allowing the red to recede from his eyes. "If the Lands do not approve of who rules them, they will not flourish. If you had taken my offer when I had given it you would know this, but since you did not, _do not_ attempt to throw around false accusations and untruths simply to appease yourself. You are a fool without honor and you deserve the woman who is your mate. For she is just as without honor as you."

Kikyo gasped in horror and fell back a step, eyes brimming with tears. "Leave her out of this you bakayaro!"

The West, sensing its mater's anger and dismissal of the hanyou, took matters into its own hands. All watched as the banished couple began to fade slowly, "It seems Inuyasha, that the West no longer wants your presence upon its soil."

Sesshoumaru turned to the others, once again the calm and collected Ryoushu they all knew and respected. "Now, Kit, I believe it is time to pay her a visit. We, youkai, are lucky that we do not require as much sleep as ningen. This…discussion…has taken all night and most of the morning. I think she will be rested enough to accept a visit from old friends, do you not think so?" There was a soft look in his eyes as he spoke of the tiny Miko that had become special to them all.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, she's going to do an exorcism today! Well, what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation! Let's go! I am _not_ going to miss this because you weren't fast enough!" Shippou hugged Rin tightly and dashed out the window in an attempt to reach his bike as fast as possible.

"The Kit still has not learned patience. Perhaps I will need to reeducate him."

Kouga laughed, "Come on, let's get going. It's been years since we've felt Kagome's miko-ki and this isn't something I want to miss." He looked at the other Ookami and grinned, "Plus, I haven't seen 'my woman' in a really long time, right Shiori." The petite koumori youkai giggled, remembering the stories her mate and his two friends told her of the kind Miko who had set her free from her jii-chan. "Come on, Shiori, I'm sure Kagome would love to see you again." He smiled a charming smile at his mate as the walked the door.

Ginta and Jinenji walked side by side reminiscing about the tiny Miko that had shown them a great kindness.

Hakkaku smiled at Ayame and took hold of his mate's hand leading her as he followed the others.

* * *

><p>I had spent the entire morning preparing for the day and gathering my supplies for ritual. Hearing a knock at my door I went to open it.<p>

"Yo," said a rather annoyed looking Ichigo.

"Ichigo, you're just on time! Come on. Shippou should be here anytime now." I ushered him in, "Would you like anything while we wait?"

He shook his head, "No, the old man says hi, by the way. Annoying baka woke me up this morning by jumping through my window. Who the hell does that? True, I kicked him in the face when he got up, but still." He shook his head when he heard me giggle.

Just as I was able to sober myself, I heard an obnoxious knocking at my door and knew it could only be Shippou, who else knew where I lived. I rolled her eyes and went to answer the door after excusing myself.

Opening the door, I was greeted with a sight that I hadn't expected. Standing outside my door, were many of my friends from the past. Speaking loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to hurt their ears, I called to Ichigo, "Ano, Ichigo, promise me you won't freak out?"

"Eh, why would I freak out?"

I heard him getting up, "No, stay over there. It's a surprise; just promise me you won't freak out." I heard a sigh and a 'yeah, I promise' and smiled. Looking back at the youkai in front of my door I spoke softly, "Come in, you can release your illusions if you'd like. I don't know if the smell will get to you. I was trying to cleanse my apartment, I think I got most of it, but I'm not exactly sure." I opened the door all the way and gestured for them to enter.

One by one they came until I was left with Sesshoumaru standing in front of me. He placed a hand on my cheek, and gave a tiny smile, "Kagome, it has been along time since I have seen you. I have missed you, little one."

I smiled brightly up at him, "I have missed you, too, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Putting his mask back in place he nodded and continued to where the others had gone. I stayed a few extra seconds to catch my breath at seeing them all once again; at seeing _him_ once again. There had been a special place in my heart for the seemingly Daiyoukai after I finally got the chance to know him better. I frowned when I heard two sets of snarling and growled.

Upon entering my living room, I found Shippou standing in front of Ichigo, while the others took up defensive stances and the hanyou and ningen stood against the wall, knowing that they had no right to get involved, "No disrespect when I say this Sesshoumaru-sama, but this is directed to _all_ of you." I glared at everyone, "What in the seven layers of Jigoku are you simpering baka growling at?" I looked at them with my hands on my hips, waiting for an answer.

Sesshoumaru looked at me, "Miko," he growled out, "What is that abomination doing in your home?"

I growled in return, "Youkai, if you are going to speak such ways to me, then get out of my house and take them with you." I pointed at the others.

Grabbing my by the throat, he shoved me against the wall, "You dare give this Sesshoumaru orders, Miko?"

"I do." _Thank the Kami-sama that this is one of the perks of being Miko of the West. One is that the West will protect me. Another is that I am allowed to speak to my Alpha in such a way._ "If you youkai are going to be baka within my home, then get out! If they will not accept my friends as I have accepted them, then they dishonor the very foundations of our friendship and me. Since they choose to dishonor me, then they forfeit my friendship. For is that not who we became friends?" I asked in a cold tone. "Did I not see past race and species and accept you for who you are and not what you are? If you are going to make excuses, then you are not welcome here." Using the strength of the West, I removed Sesshoumaru's hand from around my neck and flared my aura. "Leave, those that will continue unjust prejudices, for they are not welcome in my home."

I waited for their decisions. The youkai looked away ashamed. I watched as Ichigo looked uncomfortable and confused, but at least he didn't freak out. Sesshoumaru backed away stunned that his own domain would choose to protect me against its master.

The first to speak was a hanyou, "See what you have done, you've gone and made her mad. Kagome-sama welcomes us into her home and this is how you treat her and her guest? Shame on all of you. Sesshoumaru-sama I can understand. But the rest of you?" I giggled at her statement. She walked up to me and smiled, "Kagome-sama, it has been too long." I shamelessly stared at the beautiful women before me trying to figure out where I knew her from. She giggled, "It's Shiori, Kagome-sama."

My mouth dropped, and my brain froze. I heard laughter in the background and snapped out of my shock and glared at them all, "Are you leaving or apologizing, because I haven't seen either." Hearing their mouths snap shut, I waited. With mumbled apologies, my glare turned deadly, "Not to me you baka youkai, to him. That includes you Sesshoumaru-sama. Or does this mean I am no longer a part of your Houses." Seeing his eyes widen then narrow, I held back a smirk. _Ah, it feels good to get one up on the arrogant inu, something to truly treasure._

I heard apologies from all of them and smiled. "Good, now what about the rest of you? Shippou didn't tell me much about anything." Looping my arm with Shiori's, I purposely sat next to Ichigo. The others took seats throughout the room.

I watched as Kouga came and sat by Shiori, grabbed her hand, and gave her a peck on the cheek and apologized to her as well. Eyes widening, I choked out, "What the hell!"

Kouga snickered, "Now that's a story. Let's see. It was about 50 or so years, after you left. A koumori hanyou fell out of the sky, battered, bloody and exhausted. My ookami were wary of her and howled for me. Of course I answered their call, and saw a not so pretty sight. I felt that if I didn't help her, I would somehow be dishonoring your memory. So I took her in and did my best to bring her to health. When she was finally able to speak, she told me that she was looking for the village that the Shikon no Tama no Miko lived. When I discovered she was talking about you, I told her than you had vanished from the battlefield after it was over. She seemed rather saddened. It took months for her to calm down. I don't know when or how, but before I knew it, I was in love with the little hanyou. It wasn't easy. Many or both our clans weren't happy. Hers, more so, because they were going to lose the precious barrier maker." He spat the last part in disgust. "I told that it wasn't our problem. They just had to learn to fend for themselves. The world was a tough place and they had to wake up sooner or later." He shrugged the snickered, "However when they found out I was Alpha of the all Ookami, they didn't seem to mind so much that I was going to mate her. After all, the East is run by Ookami. I became Ryoushu not long before we mated. They thought they were going to have a connection to royalty. It felt great to let them in on our traditions seeing as they were going to be my in-laws. I didn't know koumori could get so red." He sighed happily at the memory as Shiori rolled her eyes then giggled.

"Oh, and what happened to Ayame?"

I heard someone clear their throat, "I'm right here." She smiled.

Again, brain function ceased. I felt Ichigo shake me and I turned to him, "Ara? Did you need something?"

He smirked, "I didn't want you to start drooling." I huffed and smacked him on the back of the head. With a surprised 'Oi,' I gestured for her to continue.

She smirked, "Well, there's not much that's changed with me. I mated Hakkaku after getting tired of chasing after Kouga. We mated before they did. Hakkaku was just so adorable. I wouldn't change him for the world." She smiled lovingly at her mate and kissed him.

Ginta laughed, "Well, at least it's only kissing. We try to stay away from them because that usually leads to countless hours of extremely loud mating."

"Oi, not in my house!" I laughed as they pulled apart red, glancing as I felt Ichigo shaking, holding in a laugh.

"Jinenji, is that you?" When I saw a shy nod, I flew out of my seat and tackled the gentle giant. "Awe, you're so cute!" I squealed, "Still maintaining that herb garden of yours?" I laughed at another shy nod and whispered as if talking about a conspiracy, "There are no bugs right?" He shook his head and laughed softly, remembering the first time I helped in his garden. "Good, there better not be, because if there are, you're going to have to save me from the icky little critters when I help you out." I winked as he gasped softly.

Returning to my seat, I waited for the others, "Anyone else going to share?"

Ginta took the stage and laughed gentle, "Not much has changed with us Nee-chan. Other than surviving through the centuries, they are the only ones that mated, well them and Shippou." He sent a sly glance at said Kitsune and I glared like only a mother can.

"Higurashi-Hayashi, Shippou, is there a reason you didn't tell your Okaa-san that you had mated? If I don't hear a good reason, I'm going to let said mat know about yesterday's little meeting." I watched in satisfaction as Shippou paled and I heard not one but _two_ growls. I turned to Sesshoumaru and raised a brow, then looked back at my kit. "Well, I'm waiting, kit."

"Ha, ha, well about that Okaa-san, you see, I was going to surprise you with the news today." When I gave him a look that said I didn't believe him, Ichigo snorted and he continued, "Really, Okaa-san, I swear. Look, see, she's here." He waved frantically at the young ningen in his lap.

I narrowed my eyes, and gasped, "Rin!"

She giggled, "Yes, Kagome-Okaa-sama."

If I hadn't already been sitting down, I would have fallen flat on my butt. I grinned evilly at Sesshoumaru and said, "Pay up, Sesshou. I win."

Everyone looked at me like I had gone insane, "Do not call me that disgraceful nickname, onna." He stood and walked to me. Everyone sat at the edge of their seats as Sesshoumaru, Daiyoukai of the West and House of the Moon, the Killing Perfection, Aristocratic Assassin, sat in between my legs and I got to work on braiding his hair. I sighed happily, "Ah, this is heaven." I gently grabbed the tips of his ears and started massaging them. Had he been neko youkai, he would have purred. Instead, he just leaned into my touch and let his eyes slide shut.

Shippou was the one to break the silence, "Wait what just happened." There were a bunch of dumbstruck nods all around. Even Ichigo, who didn't true know the horror that was Sesshoumaru, nodded.

I grinned, "I made a bet with Sesshou. I told him that you two would end up mated. He, of course, adamantly refused to believe me. The best was that if he lost, I would get to braid his amazingly, gorgeous, silky, silver locks and scratch his ears, when ever I please for the rest of our unnaturally long lives and Get to call him 'appropriate nicknames'. He immediately rejected the idea. I told him I could make kotodama no nenju instead. Suffice to say, he preferred the first idea. With was fine by me. I get to braid his hair anytime I please."

I looked around and could swear that if this was an anime, everyone would have either fallen anime style or sweat dropped. "Okaa-san, you're a little too obsessed with Sesshoumaru-sama's hair. And what if you had lost Okaa-san?"

Sesshoumaru smirked and everyone got chills. "The Miko would have made me kotodama no nenju to place on her." I heard collective gasps go about the room and I rolled my eyes.

"I knew I was going to win, so I had no problem agreeing to the idea."

Rin looked at Sesshoumaru and said in a voice full of false cheer, "Otou-san." I felt his spine stiffen. "Is that why you tried to deny Shippou the right to mate me?"

We all saw Sesshoumaru turn away and pout like a child refusing to answer.

I laughed so hard I fell into Ichigo's lap. "Oh, that's rich! You tried to cheat Sesshou!"

I heard a growl, "Oh don't worry. We are in the privacy of my home. Who is ever going to talk about this to the outside world? Everyone is too scared of you and Ichigo is one who believes in privacy." Everyone looked at me with a look, "What, you can't think me?" When the looked didn't go away I laughed nervously, "Okay, I promise not to say anything."

"What happened to the Miko who respected her Alpha?" He sighed in mock hurt.

I rolled my eyes, "Well, since everyone is gathered, shall I begin?" With collective nods, I looked at Ichigo, "I don't know how this is going to affect you, so stay close to Shippou, okay?"

When he nodded, I stood and walked to the center of the room. I sat on the floor; legs crossed, eyes closed, and began chanting. I felt the others move away to give me space. I felt my aura flare and sent out waves of calm and purity. I cleansed the apartment and searched out the tamashii. I felt him trying to hide himself buried beneath my Sengoku collection. Using my aura, I took hold and brought him in front of us all. I felt my aura take hold of the smallest part of him that held anything that resembled a positive emotion and did the same thing that Akago had once done to me. Instead of possession, I anchored my aura to the good and sent waves of purification outward. When the process was over, I opened my eyes and stood before the tamashii. "How are you feeling?"

He shed tears, "Finally at peace, Miko-sama. May the Kami-sama bless you for helping this tortured soul find peace." He positioned himself to pray and faded from view to travel what I later found out was the Soul Society.

I looked at the others and saw smiles on their faces as they remembered what it felt like to fight by my side. I smiled in return, "Well, I made plenty of food earlier. Why doesn't everyone sit so that I can get the food?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, there's chapter 10! Here's the biggest that you to ForgottenOncePromised for helping me with the scene where Shippou breaks the news! Here are some cookies! As for people who have been wondering about the pairing, I'm going to start the poll now. So don't forget to cast your votes! Also, don't worry. will add more Byakuya yumminess in the next chapter! Milkshake-sama is still hiding from not getting many reviews, so please, please review! Thank you readers for your comments and messages that have help make this story what it is. I wouldn't mind words of advice or possible suggestions. If I like the suggestions, there's a chance I will put it in. I will give the credit where it's due. So, please review! **

+ **Bakayaro:** Bastard

+ **Shinidamachuu: **Soul Collector

+ **Inu Taishou:** Dog General

+ **Koumori:** Bat

+ **Kotodama no Nenju: **Beads of Subjugation


	11. Chapter 11: Uh Oh

Chapter 11: Uh-Oh

That night, after many laughs and tears, mainly mine, everyone excused themselves, promising to visit and call.

I watched happily as the last of them left. Just as I was about to close my door, I heard a nostalgic meow call out to me.

I looked around for the source. Finding nothing, I, once again, began to close the door. Hearing a second meow, I pulled the door open and stepped outside. Finding myself alone on the walkway, I shook my head and mumbled about hearing things.

I closed the door and walked into the living room. The room itself was clean, but I felt an odd compulsion to tidy things up. As I fixed the furniture, I smiled at the small reunion and thought about Sesshoumaru admitting to the jewelry.

* * *

><p>"Okay, okay, now I have to know, how did all those things end up with all your youki?" I looked at Sesshoumaru.<p>

"This One knew you had been returned to your time. He wanted you to know that you were not forgotten. He did not know if he was going to live to your time or not. This One remembered a picture you showed him of your family. From that, he designed something that would suit each person. He gathered the materials and used his own youki to craft each piece and change the make up to make them indestructible; using his own youki, he made a seal on each one to make them irremovable. This One will not speak of the crests for it is a closely guarded secret held only but the ruling Daiyoukai and Head, but he wanted all to know that your family was protected by both the House of the Moon and the West." I felt my eyes starting to tear up at my Alpha's thoughtfulness and hugged him tightly, while whispering my thanks. Patting my arm, he continued, "The charm bracelet was Rin's idea as This One knew not what to give you. The small legend surrounding the bracelet is true. For your Jii-sama's rosary, This One went to the older Miko to have the prayer beads made and put his youkai in it for the same reasons."

I sobbed at the kindness not many knew he had, "Arigato, Sesshoumaru-sama. You have no idea what this means to me."

* * *

><p>I was brought out of my thoughts but a soft noise down the hall. I walked, as calmly as I could, in a relaxed yet defensive stance to look for the source. Seeing my door move, I tread lightly. Thinking that calling out would be a baka move; I opened the door quickly to startle the intruder. Seeing no one in the room, I shrugged my shoulders and turned around.<p>

I jumped at an angry, yet admonishing, meow. I spun around and saw the long lost neko-mata on my bed, looking at me like it was my fault it took so long to get noticed.

"Kirara, is that you?" I asked with false skepticism, knowing it really was her. She meowed and rolled her eyes. I squealed and pounced, squishing her in the process. She released a strained meow and I loosened, not relinquishing, my hold on her tiny body. She purred as I scratched behind her ears, telling her how much a missed her and that I'm never letting her go ever again.

* * *

><p>Just as we were about to settle down for the night, after another tear-jerking reunion, she hissed as I felt a flare of reiatsu,<p>

"Ready for a good old fashioned fight?" I looked at her with a smirk.

With a completely neko smirk, that I took as a yes, I grabbed her and my gear and ran out the door.

As we turned the corner, Kirara leapt out of my arms and transformed. Understanding her unspoken command, I hopped on her back and we were off.

I readied my bow and released a small hold on my miko-ki, channeling it directly into my notched arrow.

* * *

><p>I gasped at the sight we had traveled to. Byakuya was fighting in the sky with a hollow, I recalled Renji calling them.<p>

I strung my bow and waited for an opening. I watched as Byakuya was being pushed back. He was bloody and battered. The hollow found an opening in his defense and struck him so hard he flew to the ground.

I found my opening as the hollow stood arrogantly in his false victory and released my arrow. I didn't even wait to see if it struck, knowing it would, and told Kirara to take me to Byakuya while I counted down from five.

We landed just as I thought 'zero' and I knelt beside Byakuya as I heard the dying screech of the hollow. I watched as lost consciousness and sighed; _great, now I'm going to have to take him home and clean him up. Why does this always happen to me? Why can't I ever get some peace? Why do I waste my time asking these questions knowing I'm never going to get my answer?_ I rolled my eyes at my thoughts and looked at Kirara. "I'm going to need you to carry us, is that okay?"

I learned long ago that asking Kirara was better than commanding her. I almost got lost in my memories, but forced myself to focus on the situation at hand. When I saw her nod, I got to work on setting him on her and ran to grab the arrow that hand gained the attributes of the hollow that I purified. I narrowed my eyes and pushed those thoughts aside for another time and ran back to Kirara. I climbed on her back and she took off heading back home.

She touched down on the landing in front of my door and I got off to open the door. She strolled in like she owned the place and I couldn't decided whether I should roll my eyes or chuckle, so I settled for an amused smirk and followed her inside.

Kirara walked into the living room and somehow got him on the floor. When I walked in, she was already in her small form and sitting next to his head meowing at me to hurry as her tails waved lazily. I ran to the hall closet and grabbed a couple of towels, a bucket, and my first aid kit. I rushed to the sink and turned the hot and cold faucets waiting for the water to reach the right temperature.

When the water was ready, I took my supplies to the middle of the room and got started on cleaning him so I could assess his wounds. I got frustrated at his wounds because I noticed they hadn't started clotting. He had been hit in some vital places and they bleed out like Niagara falls, non-stop. I had been afraid to use my miko-ki, not knowing how he would react since he was neither ningen, nor youkai, but Shinigami. In the end, I chose to go the old fashion way and stitch him together and bandage his wounds after taking not that he wasn't about to wake anytime soon.

After he had been taken care of properly, I carried him the spare bed room that didn't have any of my Sengoku trinkets. _This is one of the things I can thank that arrogant inu for. With the training from Jigoku, everything feels so light. I gained a lot of strength. Well, I would hope so. Especially after what he put me through. Who the hell puts _two hundred and fifty pound weights_ on someone when they just start training! That doesn't make any sense! I was useless for the whole week after because I couldn't use my body! That baka! I tried to warn him that it wouldn't work! When I finally got used to the weight enough to use my chopsticks, he increased the weight! I knew I shouldn't have accepted those things! He knew I wouldn't say no to a gift, and he used my good nature against me! He put his youki in them to increase the weight! That bakayaro! Well, in the end, it worked out, so I shouldn't complain. But it was still underhanded and cruel!_

During the whole internal rant and picturing myself throttling my poor, unfortunate, unsuspecting Alpha, I had tucked him in, cleaned my living room, and put the towels to wash. Looking at Kirara, I saw her fur matted with blood. "Kirara, would you like to take a nice bath with me?"

With a meow of gratitude, I got the bath ready. Getting a few more towels out of the hall closet, I cleaned off all the blood off the both of us and we sat in the bath and just relaxed. I set a twenty minute timer and decided to take a small nap as Kirara positioned herself on my shoulder and did the same.

* * *

><p>We both jumped at the sound of the timer and I laughed, "Well, I think it's time to get out, don't you?" I raised a brow and watched as sneezed, then meowed, and jumped out of the bath into the sink. After wrapping my hair in a towel, I wrapped myself, then turned to Kirara and started drying her off, first with a towel then the blow dryer. When I finished, I got a good laugh at her and burst out laughing at the tiny but giant call of fluff that Kirara had turned into. I patted down her fur and smiled as she purred at the attention, "Any time you want a bath, all you have to do is tell me. I'll be more than happy to give you a bath. I think you deserve it." I gave her a small peck on the diamond on her forehead and smiled as she purred even louder and meowed a confirmation.<p>

I dressed after drying myself; I picked up Kirara and went to take a quick peak at my unofficial patient. Checking that he was indeed asleep, having learned what to check for by Sesshoumaru, I checked his bandages. Finding them clean, I snuck a glance at the small clock and sighed when it read 12:47. I went to my room and promptly knocked out snuggling up to Kirara.

* * *

><p>Byakuya woke to find himself in a dark, unfamiliar room. Trying to sit up, he felt a tightening on his chest. Relaxing himself, he did a mental check of his body, making sure nothing was missing or wrong. He lifted his hand to his chest and found bandages. <em>Who could have done this?<em> Taking an assessment of the room, he found it to be rather plain. Deciding to try once again, he sat up as slowly as possible so as not to irritate or reopen his wounds.

When he finally managed to sit up, he felt a chill caress his upper body, as the blankets covering him fell, and that's when he noticed that he didn't have his taichou no haori or his Shinigami haori on. Finding the person who had the audacity to undress him without his consent became one of the top things on his 'to do' list.

Taking another survey of the room, he steeled himself for the pain that was about to come. He moved his legs over the edge of the bed so he sat upright and took a deep breath trying to dispel the pain that nearly overtook him once again. As he did his best to overcome the pain, he slowly stood up; completely unaware of the red eyes following his every move. As carefully and quietly as he could, he made his way to the door that was slightly open.

Still unaware of the cautious presence, he reached for the door knob only to be frozen in place by a quiet meow. Turning his head to his bed, he found a small, rather unusual, feline comfortably sitting in the bed staring at him with knowing red eyes. Dismissing the neko entirely, he turned his head only to hear the neko meow once more in a rather disdainful yet admonishing tone.

Turning to face said neko he gave it a questioning gaze, only to be answered by the neko turning its head. Irritated that he let himself be distracted, he ignored the neko once again and turned to the door fully intending to figure out his location.

Hearing the neko meow, yet again, this time in a more stern way, he looked and found that the neko had moved beside a small clock that was displaying the time. He read 3:39 and realized that the neko was trying to tell the time.

Deciding to take a chance, for no one would be witnessing his ignoble act, he looked at the cat, berating himself for what he was about to do, and asked, "Am I to take it that you want me to wait longer before I find my answers?"

He did his best not to be surprised when the neko merely nodded, looked at his bed, then looked at him like he was a baka that should have figured it out earlier. Feeling his ire rise at the audacity of the neko for looking down on him, he berated himself once again by telling himself that he was getting upset over an inconsequential doubutsu. He shook his head and felt like a baka for listening to the neko.

Returning to the bed and, for the second time in less than five hours, promptly passed out thankful that no one witnessed another ignoble act.

* * *

><p>Kirara, fully satisfied that the Shinigami listened to her, returned to her abandoned spot cuddling next to Kagome, and waited for the sun to rise; fully intending on sleeping in like a normal neko after everything she had been through in the last six months. Thinking that no one would need to know where she had been or what she had done in the last couple of centuries, she happily cuddled her new found mistress, vowing to never leave her side ever again.<p>

* * *

><p>I woke to a soft, warm thing pressed against my chest and did my best to snuggle closer to it, only to be startled by a quiet purring that had taken over said thing. Opening my eyes, I saw a content and sleeping Kirara. Deciding not to wake the hard working neko from my past, I got out of bed as gently as possible so as to not disturb said neko. Remembering that I had someone in another room, I silently walked to check on my injured tenant.<p>

Byakuya, having been up for the last ten minutes, was taken out of his musings when he saw the door opening from his peripheral and turned his head.

* * *

><p>Not expecting said visitor to be awake, I almost jumped when I noticed his eyes on me. Luckily, all that time in the Sengoku Jidai taught me not to be surprised at anything. Then I remembered everything Sesshoumaru put me through and all the nightmares I got from his training, only to be glad that I kept the make shift weights he had given me. Since I still used them on a daily basis, I could only be grateful no one would ever figure out what they were.<p>

* * *

><p>"I wasn't sure when you would wake up. At least you weren't out that long; only a few hours." She smiled gently.<p>

Byakuya turned his head, "Onna-"

"Kagome." He looked at the onna that interrupted him, and narrowed his eyes. "My name is Kagome."

Not caring about her name he continued with his train of thought, "Onna-"

* * *

><p>"If you can't call me by my name, I will personally drag you out of that bed and toss you out. I will not be disrespected by being called anything other than my name. Is that clear, Byakuya-chan." I gave an internal smirk at the look on his face, "I have gotten more stubborn men to speak my given name and if you will not use it then I assure you, outside is where you will find yourself; exactly as you are." I watched as he had an internal battle with himself and thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing.<p>

As he finally decided what to say, he looked at me, "Your name."

Knowing immediately what he was asking, I answered, "Higurashi."

Seeing resignation, he spoke again, "Higurashi, where am I?"

"You are in my home. I found you last night. You were being pushed back in the middle of your fight. You took a rather ugly hit and crashed into the ground. I took care of the hollow, I believe you call them, and brought you here. I don't know why you were fighting nor do I care at this particular moment. All I know is that you were badly injured and unconscious and I couldn't leave you on the ground to die."

He nodded, accepting the answer; well I thought he did until the baka opened his mouth, "Ningen should not be able to see me. A weak ningen such as you should not have been able to destroy, much less see a hollow."

My eye twitched, "I am giving you only once chance to apologize. If not, I will grab you by the neck and drag you out of my home in your hakama. And I promise you, you arrogant bakayaro that it will not be pleasant for you."

* * *

><p>His eyes widened so slightly that it was almost unnoticeable. Almost. <em>This onna cannot be serious. Does she not realize that I can kill her much fast than it would take for her to reach me? If her claim is true, than she must have seen that she cannot defeat me. Even if she did defeat the hollow as she claims, she is not strong enough to reinforce her statement when she was presented with a fairly large opening in the false sense of security the hollow had in thinking he had defeated me.<em>

"I will not apologize to ningen with no manners or knowledge of their station."

The only warning Byakuya had before she pounced was that far too innocent smile that appeared on her face.

The moment that smile appeared, Byakuya knew he should have listened to her.

True to her word, the onna identified as Kagome, lunged for his neck so fast he couldn't react.

* * *

><p>I grabbed his neck and started dragging him out of bed while he grabbed my wrist and tried to pull away. I should have cared that I might, possibly, by change, slightly and completely be reopening his wounds, but I couldn't help myself, Mr. Arrogant-and-Sexy needed to be brought down a peg. Somehow, everyone popped into my head and I pictured their reactions: Sesshoumaru would probably just raise a far too perfect eye brow with amusement in his eyes and a possible smirk; Shippou, Kouga, Hakkaku, and Ayame would probably pass out from laughing so hard; sweet Jinenji would probably panic and worry about Byakuya being strangled; Kirara might meow in exasperation at his idiocy; and Shiori and Rin would probably try to cover their giggles with their hands.<p>

Half way down the hall, I felt something grab my ankle and, because I am the world's biggest klutz, I fell right on him. When I heard a grunt and felt something wet, I immediately knew I reopened his wounds; so instead of freaking out, as was the norm, I turned my head to his, noticing that they were far to close for comfort, and said, "Are you going to apologize now, or am I going to have to continue dragging you?"

His eyes widened ever so slightly that I almost missed it. Almost, but having been around Sesshoumaru for so long, it's the little things people do that I began to notice that say a lot more than the outrageous.

"My apologies," he mumbled out so quietly I knew a normal person wouldn't have heard it. That's when I knew that he was far too much like Sesshoumaru and he was sadly, someone of nobility among his people and he wasn't used to be treated like this. This lovely revelation made me smirk internally, because it means that I was the one who gave him a taste of what it means to be a normal person, and I couldn't have been more proud.

Then, I saw all the blood and started freaking out, "Oh Kami-sama! I need to get you fixed up!" I somehow got him to the bed I had left him in the night before and gathered my things. "Don't move too much or you'll just agitate it more than we already have." I removed his bandages and saw the ripped stitching, "Do you want a pain remedy? I'm going to have to rest itch the wound and it won't be pleasant." He looked at me like I had gone insane, "Don't look at me like that, I have more battle experience than you know and I have tons medical experience, so I know what I'm doing. Now, I'm asking again, do you want something for the pain?"

"Just finish what ever must be done. I care not for the pain."

I nodded and got to work on taking out the stitch, when I made out a small object under his skin. After telling him it was going to hurt and that I found something, I reached into his already large wound and pulled out a shard of metal. Tossing it on the nightstand, I went to work with checking for internal injuries and rest itched when I found none.

* * *

><p>He held back from screaming when she pushed her fingers into his wound. He wondered where the shard came from. He did his best to concentrate only on the thought of where the shard came from. He replayed the battle in his mind over and over till he felt the pain ebb.<p>

"You should be okay now. I hope there aren't anymore," came the concerned voice of the onna he had struggled with. "I also hope you don't have to go anywhere anytime soon. It's going to take you about a week before you can actually walk straight."

He looked at her expecting to see some form of reprimand or something that suggested she was still mad from their little skirmish. Finding only concern, answered her, "I was sent to rid of the hollow you destroyed. The local Shinigami wasn't strong enough. I should be leaving as soon as possible, I must report to my superiors." He spoke with authority.

"That's good, but I'm not kidding, you have to stay still for the rest of the week. I have nothing to do this week since I don't start work just yet. You're stuck with me till I say you can leave. Is there anyway to contact your superiors, or would they send someone to look for you if you don't report in?"

He looked at her suspiciously before asking, "How did you know what you were fighting?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, this has taken me forever to post. Gomen that it took so long, but I got stuck on it a little. Yes, I know the characters are OOC, but that's why it's a fan fiction! Haha, we can do what we want to the characters! As usual, please review! Much thanks and love to my readers!**


	12. Chapter 12: Crowds Can be Lonely too

Chapter 12: Crowds Can be Lonely too

"Eh?"

He looked at me with narrowed eyes, "You are ningen, that much is obvious. Yet, you know what hollows are. Again, I ask, how did you know what you were fighting?"

I fidgeted and looked away, wondering how I was going to explain, then I remembered, "You're Abarai-san's boss, right?" When he gave a slight nod, I continued, "He told me." With a rather nasty look he threw the wall, I explained, "He was supposed to keep me company, but ran off when we felt a rather large burst of reiatsu. Of course, no one else seemed to notice what was going on. I followed him. That's when I was presented with a rather unpleasant sight. It was disgusting. Don't get me wrong, I have seen some pretty horrendous things in my life, but that one definitely took the cake. After defeating it, I asked what it was. He told me they were called hollow; and by the looks of things, there are a rather common occurrence around here."

I shook my head, "I don't know all the details. All I know is that you are Shinigami, they are called hollow, and you come from a place called the Soul Society to kill them. Like I said, I don't know much."

He turned his head so I couldn't see his face, "It seems I have a subordinate to punish."

I had to do a double take when I heard that, "You can't be serious? It's not like he could have hidden something like that from me. If I hadn't seen that he didn't have any wounds, I would have thought he was dying. Anyone with that much death in their aura is either dying or already dead. Trust me when I saw, I've been around my fair share of people that should be dead. Just because I didn't have a name for you at the moment, doesn't mean that I wouldn't have figured it out."

He looked at me with narrowed eyes once again, "That does not excuse what he has done. There are far too many ningen that know of our existence as it is. Tell me, Higurashi, what does that make you?"

I shook my head at having my own question thrown back at me, "What do you _think_ I am?

His eyes narrowed further, "Onna-"

"Do you want a repeat of earlier?" I asked him in a stern voice.

He sighed in resignation, "You are not Quincy, that much is certain. There are only two left. Other than them, I wouldn't be sure." He looked away as if ashamed to admit that he didn't know something.

I looked at him, really looked at him, and realized how young he actually was. His eyes showed his age and wisdom, but it was his actions that gave away to how young he really was. "I am the last of my kind. It has been centuries since an Ane of mine was born. My kind can always sense each others presence. Not exactly like pinpointing it, but just so we know that we are not alone. In this time, I have never felt an Ane here. Plus, Abarai-san said told me that Miko died out centuries ago." I couldn't keep looking at him. He, who was surrounded by his people.

When I turned to look back at him, I saw something I couldn't understand pass through his eyes. "He speaks the truth. Miko have not been seen in many years."

"Yeah, I figured as much. I didn't know I was one until certain circumstances brought out my dormant power." I looked at the time and stood, "Is there something you would like to eat? I didn't realize how late it was and you need to keep up your strength." I smiled a sad gentle smile.

* * *

><p>He watched as she stood and saw the loneliness in her eyes . "Anything would be fine," he answered, unsure of what to say to such battle worn and terrifying eyes. He knew then that she spoke the truth when she had said battle experience. <em>No one that young should have those eyes. Especially in such a peaceful time.<em>

He looked at his hands, _what could have given her such haunted eyes._

* * *

><p>I made my way to the kitchen and made breakfast.<p>

I took the small tray to his room hoping not to talk about such a depressing topic.

Just as I reached his door, I heard the doorbell. Extending my senses, I felt Shippou at the door with my friends from school and I groaned as I walked into his room.

He looked like he wanted to ask but was angry at his curiosity and I giggled till I heard the doorbell again and groaned, "Is there any room in that bed?" at his scandalized look, I put the tray down laughing, "If they think we are both injured then maybe they'll leave us alone."

I saw him fight the urge to smirk and did it for him till I heard, "I know you're in there! You can't hide from me Okaa-san!"

I mumbled about murdering kits before steeling a glance at Byakuya and asked, in a completely serious tone, "How would you feel if you heard me murdering my son?" I chuckled at the raised eye brow, "I'll close the door and try to send them away. If they don't leave, well, at least the door will be closed, ne?"

* * *

><p>He watched her leave and felt slightly cheated of her company, then berated himself yet again.<p>

He looked at the food and was amazed at how simple yet elegant the whole thing seemed.

He was brought out of his musings when Kagome walked in carrying the infernal neko from the night before, "I know she's asleep, but she's great company , even then. Just let her cuddle up to your side an she'll be fine." Right before she closed the door, she smiled, "Her name is Kirara. Also, she doesn't like to be bossed around. If you ask, she'll be more likely to help you with what ever you need. Enjoy your breakfast." she shut the door and left him to eat with the odd sleeping neko.

* * *

><p>I walked to the door and prepared to turn them away. Putting my best fake smile on, I opened the door, "Hey guys, what's up?"<p>

Yuka spoke first as she pushed past me, "We brought food and Hojo came with. We ran into him," she gestured to Shippou like he wasn't important, "As soon as we got here. Did you know he drives a motorcycle? How stupid is that? Doesn't he realize how dangerous those things are?"

I peeked at Shippou and saw his strained shrug and I knew he was doing his best not to say anything so I spoke up for him, "Yuka."

She looked at me from the table a little mad that I interrupted her, "If you are going to insult Shippou, then I suggest you leave."

I heard Shippou snicker as she looked like she had just been slapped, "Seriously?"

"Calling his ride stupid is like call stupid because he chose it."

"You can't be serious?"

"Insult whomever you want as long as they aren't my friends or my son. Once you start insulting them, we are going to have a _serious_ problem. I didn't let people get away with it in the past and I'm sure as hell not about to start letting anyone get away with it now."

Hojo stepped in to play peace maker, "I'm sure she didn't mean to insult anyone right?" He looked between us and continued, "Just apologize and everything will be fine."

Yuka huffed, "Yeah, sure, whatever; sorry."

I rolled my eyes and Shippou spoke in that teasing Kitsune way that Miroku could only have prayed to achieve, "Okaa-san, I didn't know you had company."

He pointed at the hall, making me turn around and gasp as I saw Byakuya standing in the hall as is he wasn't injured. My eyes narrowed to silts, "I thought I told you not to move too much?"

"You were getting agitated. The neko got startled and threw the tray onto the floor. I thought it would be easier to clean it myself than to ask you to do it."

My eyes soften and I laughed, "That is total bs and you know it. You were curious as to who was here."

He looked away at being found out then continued, "While I admit to the curiosity, the neko really did make a mess."

Out popped Kirara with miso covering her fur and I couldn't help it, I laughed as I crouched down to pick her. "Oh, Kirara, did I startle you? I'm sorry, but I have a surprise for you?" I turned around and lifter her up to show her. "Look, it's Shippou."

I saw his eyes widen as he got a look at the neko that used to keep him warm on nights when Kagome would return home. "Kirara?" He lunged, taking her out of my arms and squishing her till it looked like her eyes would pop out of her head, "I missed you so much! Where have you been? You scared us when you left!" He held her out at arms length and went into lecture mode and I tuned him out turning to my friends as Byakuya ignored us and went to grab the towels he saw in the dryer.

Looking at my friends, "Sit down, eat, and I'll be right back. He shouldn't be moving and I'm not about to let the spoiled prince do all the dirty work." I smirked in satisfaction when he faltered in his step.

We left my friends and son to their own devices as we went about cleaning the mess.

* * *

><p>Yuka looked at her girl friends and back at the hall they had just walked through, "Are you just as lost as me?" When they nodded, she asked, "How does Kagome know all these people? She's been in bed, sick, for years. And how the hell is a full grown man her son? It just doesn't make any sense unless they are into some sick type of role playing game." She said with contempt, jealousy clouding her mind at the though of Kagome knowing so many good looking men.<p>

Shippou, having heard the whole thing, even though he felt the need to lecture Kirara for leaving, turned to the ningen that dared talk bad about his Okaa-san, "You got something to say, _Sweetheart_?"

The girls jumped as Hojo looked at the man, assessing him. Ayumi, being the kind girl that she was, looked at her friends ashamed, "How could you say something like that about Kagome? What has she ever done to you?"

"That's what I'd like to know? You got something against Okaa-san, _little girl_? Because if you do, I'd like to hear it." He glared at the girl that had insulted his Okaa-san, "Be careful, girlie, you never know who you might be insulting. They might have friends in very high places. I can guarantee that Kagome has some extremely possessive friends. They wouldn't like to hear that you've been insulting her."

Eri was lost, on the one hand, she couldn't believe Yuka would say something like that about Kagome. Kagome had always been nice and went along with their silly little schemes and never had a bad thing to say about anyone. On the other hand, Kagome spoke of some really strange people that always seemed dangerous. Then Eri took a good long look at her friend Yuka. She didn't exactly like what she had seen. Yuka had always been slightly jealous of the attention people, especially boys, gave Kagome; and that was before she got sick. Kagome was oblivious to it all, but not Yuka. She caught the guys checking out her friend and had always craved that kind of attention for herself.

"Are you threatening me?" Yuka asked the auburn haired man.

"No, I'm warning you. People aren't nice. They are dangerous, unpredictable, and hide their true intentions." He snuck a glance at Hojo during that statement, "Fortunately, Kagome is not one of those people, but many of her friends are. She isn't going to come running to us with her problems because she doesn't like for people to worry about her. She'll hide her pain behind smiles and laughter and never admit it, unlike her, I don't have a problem telling people to go to Jigoku for insulting her. She's been hurt far too many times by people like _you_ because she didn't stand up for herself. I'm telling you now, if you don't have anything nice to say about my Okaa-san, then don't say anything at all."

* * *

><p>Byakuya looked at the young onna helping him back into bed after they had cleaned the mess.<p>

The argument had been heard by both of them as well and he didn't know what to think. This was why he stayed away from the Ningen no Sekai. He couldn't understand how ningen would pretend to be friends then speak despicably behind their backs. It had always puzzled him, but he couldn't bring himself to care enough to question as to why. It was something he didn't want to understand.

After being tucked in he looked at her again and spoke quietly, "What are you going to do?"

She tilt her head and looked thoughtful before dropping her head and sighing, "What can I do? They have been my friends for years; in all that time, not once has she ever spoken to me like that. I'm not going to say something like 'That's not the type of person she is,' or 'I don't know what's changed' and pretend that I've been there to see everything, because I haven't. I have hardly talked to them in three years. I _don't_ know what's changed, but I have this feeling that she's always thought that about me. I am oblivious to a lot of things, but I've always felt some form of animosity from her, especially when I would get attention from guys. When I would notice their attention, I wouldn't say anything because I don't like fighting. I think for her, she needs someone to be jealous of, and I'm the one she chose to be the focus of her envy."

He looked out the door and heard them talking, "You should stand up for yourself or people will forever walk all over you. There will come a time that you will ignore everything everyone is telling you and you will make a costly mistake simply because you wouldn't stand up for yourself, question others, and fight for yourself."

He noted the way she flinched when he said that last statement, "It already has. I was fortunate enough to be stopped by the one person I never thought would stop me; even if she did it simply to spite me, which I wouldn't doubt, she saved me and I am grateful that I wasn't chained to the one person who had crushed my tamashii."

He, once again, caught that haunted look in her eyes and believed that she spoke from the very depths of what made her into the onna she was today.

"You're right though, I shouldn't take it just because they were once friends." She gave a small smile and thanked him before taking the towels and closing the door behind her as she left.

* * *

><p>After closing the door, I leaned against the wall and felt like crying. <em>How long has she spoken like that about me? What did I ever do to her to make her so mad and hateful towards me?<em> My head fell and I thought, _why is it that I just found my friends and family only to lose other friends? Why does this have to happen to me?_

Knowing I wasn't going to get an answer, I felt a gentle pulse from my katana and gave a small smile and I remembered my pack.

Holding my head up high, I passed everyone completely ignoring the awkward silent that erupted when I entered the room and put the dirty dishes in the sink and the dirty towels in the washer.

Ayumi broke the silence, "Kagome?"

I looked at her with a genuine smile, "Yeah?"

"Is everything okay?" Her voice was laced with concern.

"You know what," I looked at her, "Everything is wonderful."

"Cut the crap Kagome, what the hell is wrong with you? And who was that?" I heard the animosity in Yuka's voice and wondered if she even realized how she sounded.

"Yuka, stop." Eri was the one who put her foot down.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, what is your problem with Kagome? It's always like this. I don't get it. She isn't mean to you; she doesn't talk about you behind your back, so what is it? I don't understand."

"She's jealous." I looked at everyone, "I don't know why, I mean, I'm nothing special." I held my hand up to silence Shippou's protests, "So Yuka, what are you going to do?"

She stood up and started gathering her things, "I'm leaving and I'm not coming back. You can kiss this friendship goodbye."

I chuckled, "Then give me a moment to get something before you leave."

When I saw her pause, I opened a drawer and pulled out the necklace she gave me and the one I planned on giving her, "Here, I have no use for these. They are yours. This is the only thing you ever gave me. You can have it back since I don't need the negative energy in my apartment."

Her eyes widened, "You can't be serious? You have to know I was just joking."

"Do I? I'm not the one willing to run and throw away a friendship just because it didn't go my way. I'm tired of this kind of drama. I've lived with it for the last three years, I'm not about to continue. Take your stuff and get out of my apartment since you would rather not apologize."

She sneered, "Don't you mean, your mom's apartment? I bet she did this to get rid of you."

"If you must know, it's under my name and I'm the one paying for it."

"You don't have the money to pay for something like this, unless you've been lying about being sick and doing other things."

I laughed. Yeah, it wasn't the appropriate time for it, but I couldn't help it, I laughed, "Oh Yuka, you have no idea what you're talking about. Now stop acting like a spoiled child and either apologize or leave. I'm not talking crap from anyone anymore, not even you." Blood rushed to her face as she became red with anger. I shook my head, "Take Hojo with you. I'm sure your boyfriend wouldn't want you to wander around alone in an unfamiliar place." Hojo sucked in his breath, "I may be oblivious, but I'm not stupid. Take your boyfriend and get out."

She grabbed him by the arm and we all winced when she slammed the door.

"Wow, Okaa-san, I didn't know you had it in you." He picked me up in a hug as Kirara walked off to join Byakuya in his room to take a nap.

"I think she likes him."

* * *

><p>Kirara went to lay by Byakuya, fully intending on catching up on some much needed and missed neko naps, she leapt onto the bed and curled up by his side, mindful of his injuries.<p>

* * *

><p>Seeing the neko that had been sleeping with him earlier, he thought of Yoruichi; wondering what that blasted onna would say if she saw him now. He could already picture her laughing so hard that she cried. If he was lucky, she would suffocate from laughing. Then again, his luck wasn't <em>that<em> good. Deciding that when he got out of here, he would never tell another living being of what happened, not even in his report. Nodding in agreement with himself, he scratched Kirara behind the ears and fell asleep to the sound of her purring.

* * *

><p>The living room wasn't as peaceful as Byakuya's temporary room.<p>

The girls were stunned at how I had handled the situation, never expecting me to say anything and take it like I usually did when others would get in my face.

"What was that?" Eri asked when she had finally awoken from her stupor.

"What was what?"

"That! You never talk like that to anyone."

Shippou snickered, "That's the Okaa-san I know and love!"

I looked at him. "Are you saying you didn't love me when I was quiet," I asked slyly.

"What, no! That's not-Okaa-san!" He sputtered, trying to get him out of the mess he stuck himself in.

"Uh-huh."

Ayumi spoke up, "Kagome, it's been bugging me since the beginning." I looked at her confused, "Why does he call you Okaa-san?"

I laughed, "Well, what else is he supposed to call his Okaa-san?"

"But I mean, he's a little old to be your son, isn't he?"

Shippou and I exchanged knowing glances, "Oh, Ayumi, you have no idea how right you are."

"Now I'm confused." Eri whimpered.

"Careful not to whimper around my friends, they might take it the wrong way and I would hate for you to be married off without you knowing about it."

At their incredulous looks I sighed, "It's a really long story. One I don't think you would believe."

They exchanged wary glances before nodding, "What story?"

It was our turn to exchange looks and Shippou shrugged. I sighed, "You have to promise never to tell anyone."

"We promise." I could tell Eri was eager to hear the story.

I shook my head and put out my hands for each of them to take, "Before you do, I want you to know that by grabbing my hands, you are willing to bind yourselves. By grabbing my hands and promising to keep my secret, you will be bound never to be allowed to speak of what I would tell you. You will have to abide by the conditions I set. Should you accept, there is no going back because I can't erase your memories. Do you accept and abide by the conditions I'm gong to set? You need to know that it could get dangerous for you. Think about this carefully before you make your decisions."

They had contemplative looks and I didn't move a muscle while they thought over my proposal. They nodded and put their hands in mine. I felt them jump when I gripped their hands tightly. "You have accepted my proposal, now I tell you the conditions. You can _never_ repeat what I am about to tell you without express permission from either myself, Shippou, or Sesshoumaru-sama. Should you try to tell others of what you are about to learn without either of our permission, my miko-ki will bind your voice into silence and it will be seen as an act of aggression and will be acted on. Should you try, my miko-ki will alert the three of and we will track you down. You will not be shown leniency because you are my friends. You will be treated as any traitor would. You may leave no record of any kind, be it written or recorded, for it will be erased and we will be alerted. You will be bound as confidants to This one should you accept such a responsibility." I looked them dead in the eyes and asked, "Do you accept to be put at the mercy of This one, her son, and her Alpha, should you break the vow of silence and the confidence she gives you?"

I have never seen them so pale before. They looked like someone had trampled on their graves. I saw recognition fly through Ayumi's eyes before she answered, "This One puts herself at the mercy of Higurashi, Kagome, her son, and her Alpha should she break her vow of silence and confidence." I saw her getting ready to speak, but Shippou put his hand on her shoulder to keep her quiet.

Eri looked like she had just woke up in her worst nightmare. I could see her battle her safety or her curiosity. I also saw her curiosity win. I was amazed as she gathered her courage and spoke with total confidence, "This One puts herself at the mercy of Higurashi, Kagome, her son, and her Alpha should she break her vow of silence and confidence."

I felt my miko-ki rise to the surface and travel down my arms and into my friends, taking hold of their tamashii, implanting a minute trace of itself at their core. I heard their gasps as the felt it take hold and make a home for itself inside them.

My miko-ki sank back to the recesses of my tamashii and I released their hands and stood. "In case you couldn't tell, I am a true Miko." I stood in the middle of the room and created a barrier around the room just as I had done every time the others came over and when I spoke to Byakuya. I was grateful that none of them felt when I did this.

Once I was satisfied that the barrier was perfect I sat back down and waited for the others to make themselves comfortable. "Remember all the times my Jii-chan would tell us stories of the Shikon no Tama?"

They smiled and nodded about all the times that Jii-chan would make us listen as he rambled on and on and on about the same old boring story.

I took a deep breath and began again, "Let me tell you the true story about the Shikon no Tama and a journey of heartache, death, intertwined destinies, and an evil that thrived on chaos, deception, and destruction," and once again I laid out my story to people who were innocent and had no true knowledge of the chou shizen no sekai.

* * *

><p>At the end of my story, my friends were in tears and holding each other. I had played down some of the gore and skipped the parts where I needed Sesshoumaru's permission and waited for what they had to say.<p>

Shippou held me as I remembered the pain we all went through for the damn Tama.

Ayumi was the first to speak after almost half an hour of their crying, "How did you deal with it all?" Her voice was small and choked.

"I don't really know. Mama was a big help, getting me everything we need. She was just so supportive. I think she knew something like that would happen."

Eri threw herself at me and cried even harder, "I can't believe you went through all that and weren't able to tell anyone." She sobbed harder, "I can't believe that bakayaro put you through that. The next time I see him, he's going to wish he was never born!"

Shippou laughed, "I can't believe we forgot to tell you, the hanyou and his mate were banished from both Houses. Sesshoumaru-sama did it before we came to visit you. I didn't know it slipped our minds."

I was shocked, "You can't be serious, it's not his fault-,"

"Yes, it is Okaa-san. Did you know that Sesshoumaru-sama went to get the hanyou after his mother died, of course he had run off by then but when he found him ten years later, he told him that he would take him to the West and raise him the way their father wanted. The hanyou said no, that the West wasn't his home. Sesshoumaru-sama said that the hanyou chose his fate when he denied the West."

I was speechless as we all looked at Shippou's overly obnoxious smirk, "I say he deserved it, Kagome. Especially after what he put you through." Eri nodded enthusiastically in concurrence with Aymui's statement.

"Thanks guys."

We told stories and laughed and joked the rest of the night.

When it was time for the girls to leave, I promised I'd pick them up after school the next day if Byakuya was ok and we said our goodbyes.

Shippou on the other hand had other ideas, "Rin is out of town on business and I haven't slept with my Okaa-san in a really long time." He said with a twinkle in his eye as he transformed into the little kit I had traveled with centuries ago.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I would like to thank the people who mentioned Yoruichi! I almost forgot about Byakuya's childhood tormentor! Gasp, the shame! Lol, and no it's not that i don't like her three friends, I just didn't want to have a dead chapter, that would be sad, tragic, and completely unfair to you readers. If there are any mistakes please let me know, and also, I might have to change the rating on the story in a few chapters. Again, please review. :)**

+ **Ane:** older sister; usually in a less formal setting and referring to actual family.

-In this case I am using it in a spiritual sense, since I made Midoriko her "Mother."

+ **Ningen no Sekai:** Human World


	13. Chapter 13: A New Face

Chapter 13: A New Face

Waking up the next morning, I looked at Shippou. Smiling I gave him a peck on the forehead and went to check on Byakuya.

* * *

><p>Peaking in, I saw Kirara nestled on his pillow, with her head resting on his shoulder. Seeing them both asleep; I went about making breakfast for the four of us.<p>

I put on some foreign music I had become quite fond of, though I had no idea what they were saying, and danced around the kitchen, while gathering the necessities.

Not realizing anyone was with me, I jumped at the sound of a throat being cleared. Blushing slightly, I turned around and saw a rather amused Byakuya and an even more amused Shippou. Taking a deep breathe, I relaxed and stared flatly at them.

"Since you have the time to be amused, Shippou, why don't you set the table?"

I smiled triumphantly when he groaned, "But Okaa-san, I'm a guest!"

I snorted in a very un-lady-like manner, "Guest my butt, now move it mister or you won't get breakfast." I shot Byakuya a look as his amusement grew, "Watch yourself Byakuya-chan; you're going to be baby sat by Shippou since he obviously has nothing to do today." I walked to the table with the trays of food and pointedly ignored the glare he sent me.

"You will cease calling me 'chan.' It is highly inappropriate for one of my status, as I am sure you have figured out."

Shippou and I snickered and he replied after he set the dishes, "Good luck with getting her to stop. Okaa-san is the most stubborn onna I know, and that is saying something."

He yelped as I pinched his ear, "Watch yourself, Kit. I have plenty of embarrassing stories to tell Rin the next time I see her." I looked at Byakuya, "Don't encourage him. The little rascal causes enough problems being a prankster by nature."

I sat down and ignored the seething look from Shippou and the glare from Byakuya.

I happily enjoyed my food all the while trying to ignore the fidgeting Kitsune. Unfortunately, the tension finally got to me and it was my turn to glare, "What?"

"Okaa-san, who is he?" Shippou tried, unsuccessfully to whisper.

I tilted my head to the side and finally remembered that I hadn't actually introduced them. Face palming, I turned to Byakuya, "Gomen, I didn't realize that I didn't introduce you. Kuchiki, Byakuya, I would like you to meet my son, Higurashi-Hayashi, Shippou. Shippou let me introduce Kuchiki, Byakuya."

I watched as the two simply nodded to each other and Shippou, being the curious little brat that he is, asked, "So, Kuchiki-san, how do you know my Okaa-san?"

I rolled my eyes at his protectiveness and waited to hear what he had to say.

"I can't say that I know her. I saw her once at her former residence. She found me injured the other day and brought me to her current residence. I did not even know her name until yesterday."

I glared at him only to feel a glare coming from my son. "Okaa-san," he said in that far too innocent tone that I used when I was about to lay it down. "What in the seven layers of Jigoku are you doing bringing men you don't even know home! He could have been a psycho killer for all you knew! What were you-?"

I rested my chin on my hand and waited for his "lecture mode" to finish before I said anything; while Kirara shook her head and continued eating. Raising an eye brow in question, she shook her head once more before finishing her food.

"-that you couldn't very well leave someone in pain to fend for themselves. This is why you were always getting kidnapped." He threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Hey, I resent that. First of all, Kouga kidnapped me for a whole different reason than that and you know it! Second, how was I supposed to know he was bait for a bunch of bandits? He was seven! He looked like he had been mugged! And third," I held up three fingers, "That one time was Jaken's fault! If he hadn't have been attacked by that baka hebi, I wouldn't have had to save his pathetic green ass and get captured! I blame the kappa for that one!" I huffed and crossed my arms.

"That's exactly my point, you went back to save him."

"No, I went back because the baka kappa took my quiver! How was I supposed to shoot arrows _if I didn't have any arrows?_" I asked pointedly.

He turned his head, finding the wall more interesting than listening to me put him in his place. I turned to Byakuya. "Kidnapped?"

"It's part of that battle experience I was telling you about." I smacked Shippou on the back of the head when I heard him scoff. "I was going through some rough times when I traveled with a few friends and we got into a lot of fights with some rather…interesting…characters. They were rather difficult times, but we made it through. I swear, I should turn my story into a manga," I muttered under my breath. The look on his face clearly told me he didn't believe a word I just said and I couldn't blame him. "It's not something you need to worry about. It was a long time ago, so forget it." I looked away solemnly. _I've already told enough people about my past, I don't need to get telling him anything anytime soon. Somehow I just know it's going to come out and the repercussions are going to be immense._

* * *

><p>Shippou and I had spent the time after breakfast rotting our brains watching TV and reminiscing, while Byakuya returned to his room, with Kirara snuggly nestled on his shoulder, to read some of my books.<p>

"I'm telling you, I think she likes him."

He looked back, "I guess if Kirara likes him, he's not so bad." I gave me a sly look, "Plus, I think it's time I had some brothers and sisters."

I sputtered, making him laugh. My eye twitched and I elbowed him in the ribs and pushed him off the couch. Sadly, that didn't get him to stop laughing.

* * *

><p>Byakuya sat in his room thinking of what the young man had said: '<em>what in the seven layers of Jigoku are you doing bringing men you don't even know home! He could have been a psycho killer for all you knew!' He was right. She doesn't know the kind of man I am. What if I had done something unforgivable to her while she slept?<em> He looked at the sleeping neko by his side; _this neko wouldn't be able to stop me, even if it is somewhat intelligent._ His brows furrowed, _what kind of people was she exposing herself to, to have been kidnapped and attacked? The things she says and the way she acts do not make any sense._ He looked at the door he had closed, _I will find out what you are hiding, one way or another Higurashi, Kagome._

Shaking his head of such serious thoughts, he proceeded to read the novel she had brought him. He read the summery and his curiosity piqued. _Betrayal by a Tama? What an odd name for a book._

* * *

><p>I heard my alarm go off and jumped off the couch completely forgetting that I made plans. "Kuso, Shippou, can you stay with Byakuya? I forgot I was going to go shopping with Eri and Ayumi. I am in serious need of a wardrobe makeover and most of my stuff doesn't fit me anymore."<p>

I ran to the spare room and knocked, figuring I might as well be polite considering he's my unofficial captive till he fully recovers. With a quiet "enter," I opened the door to break the news. "Hey, I forgot that I made plans with a couple of friends for today. Do you mind if I leave for a few hours? Shippou will be here in case you need anything."

He looked up from his book and nodded. Sighing in relief, I warned, "I don't know if he would do anything to you, but he is a prankster by nature, so please ignore any shenanigans that he tries to pull. Let's see…the restroom is the middle door across the hall. I might have some clothes that will fit you if you'd like. I don't think it's very comfortable staying in the same clothes all week."

I retrieved said clothes and put three sets on the drawers across from the bed, "They should fit, but they might be a little big. I promise they're clean. If you're hungry, you can ask Shippou to make you something, since I know he can cook." I put my finger to my chin, "What else…I don't have a house phone, but if you need to get a hold of me, I'll leave my number with Shippou. Last but not least, let me change your bandages real quick. You weren't supposed to be moving around, so you probably reopened something." I went about my task and noticed how fit he was. I didn't have time to admire his physique the first couple of times, but now, I must say, I liked what I saw. It took all the control I had not to blush and make it seem like I was checking him out. _Thank the Kami-sama that he's not youkai or I'm sure he would be able to smell my attraction to him. _He had a muscular and broad chest, but it fit his frame nicely. He didn't have an excessive muscle but neither were they small. When I was satisfied, by both his wounds and his looks, I nodded, "Gomen, I don't mean to sound like I'm talking as if you were a child, but I don't know what it's like where you're from, so I'm not going to assume you live the same way we do."

"That is good. Never assume, for it will one day put you in peril. Go to your friends, Higurashi, you are dismissed."

I scowled but relented, knowing it was his way of telling me to go out and have fun. _When he gets better, I'm dragging him somewhere so he can loosen up. I bet everyone is afraid to piss him off. I swear, his stupid good looks are going to get me into trouble. Why he makes me weak kneed when he shows those small moments of gentleness is beyond me._ I closed the door behind me and shook my head of wandering thoughts and found Shippou raiding my fridge.

"Hey, Shippou, I'm going to change and head out. They get out soon and I don't want them to wait for me. Here's my number in case anything happens. If you're going anywhere, make sure you tell him and if you want food I'll leave some money for the both of you."

"If I want to buy food, I'll pay for it myself, Okaa-san. Didn't I tell you it's my turn to take care of you?"

I smiled, "I know Shippou, but I'm your Okaa-san, it's my job and pleasure to take care of you. Besides, it's for Byakuya too."

He rolled his eyes, "Don't worry about it, Okaa-san. I can pay for him too."

I giggled as I walked away and began getting ready.

* * *

><p>I sighed; thankful I made it before classes were over. When I heard the bell ring I leaned up against the wall and put my hands in my pockets.<p>

"Kagome! Hey you made it," shouted an excited Eri, as she dragged a poor Ayumi by the arm.

"Hey guys, ready to go? By the way, where do you want to go shopping?" I asked as we began walking.

Ayumi smiled, "Why don't we go shopping where you live? That way, we can see different stores and get to know the area you're living in."

With enthusiastic cheers, we linked arms and were just about to head off when low-and-behold, we heard an unwanted voice, "Well, what do you know? Poor little Kagome is up and about, I wonder why that is?"

Rolling my eyes, I glanced at the owner of the unwanted voice from the corner of my eye, "Careful Yuka, I heard that if you're ugly on the inside, the older you get, the more it shows on the outside. Give it a couples years and you're going to have to get plastic surgery because you'll be too scared to look in a mirror."

As we walked away, we heard snickers from the surrounding students and started giggling, "Wow, Kagome, I like it. Not many have the guts to stand up to Yuka because her parents are rich. She said she didn't like to brag about it, but it doesn't seem like a problem now. I still can't believe that she turned out to be that kind of person."

"Oh, Eri, leave it alone. Today is the day we focus on and pamper ourselves. Nothing and no one else matters. Today is a girls' day!" I cheered as we waited for the bus causing people to look at us.

Embarrassed, I tried to hide behind Ayumi as my friends laughed at me, causing me to pout.

The bus rides were filled with gossip, laughter, and teasing.

When we reached our stop, we rushed off the bus and headed to the first clothing store we saw.

Sadly, we didn't make it to the door because I heard, "Higurashi!"

I froze instantly at the sound of a deep, rough, and somehow seductive voice and I had to fight the shiver that wanted to pass down my spine at said voice. My friends, panicking, thought the worst, "Kagome, are you okay? What's wrong?"

I felt a large hand place itself on my shoulder and I had to fight with myself, again, to not lean into his touch, "Zaraki-san, how are you?"

He smirked, "I'm bored as fuck. I was sent to look for someone and can't seem to find him." He looked at the two girls by my side and smirked in a very predator like way, "Oh, your friends?"

I smiled and nodded, "Yeah, this is Eri and Ayumi. I've known them for years." I turned to them and laughed at the looks of fear they were trying, unsuccessfully, to hide. "Guys, this is Zaraki, Kenpachi. He and his friends help me and my mama not too long ago. He's also one of Ichigo's friends."

They let out their breaths and exchanged hellos with the giant roguish man. I looked up and asked, "Where's the Q-ball and Pretty Boy?"

He gave a smirk that nearly had me melting. _Shimatta, not again. Stupid men, and their good looks, making me heart race._ "They're around looking for a guy."

I laughed, "Well, I hope-Q-ball, Pretty Boy, Over here!" I waved to get their attention and fell against Kenpachi because I was laughing so hard. It was made worse when I heard my friends trying not to laugh and they kept snorting till they finally gave in.

"What the fuck! Don't call me Q-ball!"

"Gomen, Ikkaku, I couldn't help it." I said between breaths and felt Kenpachi's arm tighten around me ever so slightly. Deciding that I didn't need to be turned in to a pile of goo Kagome style, I asked, "Where's Yachiru-chan?"

Kenpachi moved his arm before replying, "She stayed behind."

"Oh, okay. Tell her I said hi the next time you see her, please?" He gave a small nod and I turned back to my friends and saw Eri blushing. Getting a knowing look, I subtly looked over and found the candy of her eye, Ikkaku. I did my best not to make any obvious gestures or noises and asked if they were ready to go.

They smiled and nodded. "Okay, well, we have plans, so I guess I'll see you around, Zaraki-san?"

"Call me Kenpachi. Zaraki is too formal and I hate it."

"Okay, Ken-chan. See you guys around, Ken-chan, Ikkaku, and Yumichika-san."

I waved goodbye and we returned our focus to our original mission and I put my arm around Eri, "So, Ikkaku, huh? Didn't know you like them bald." Eri blushed harder and sputtered denials as Ayumi and I laughed. "Don't worry, he seems like a pretty nice guy, so next time, try to talk to him? Unless, you're too shy." I said slyly knowing it would rile her up.

"What are you talking about, he's vulgar! He curses and he carries around a bokken like a baka."

Ayumi teased, "But you still could help stealing glances at him every now and then, right? I think you guys would look cute together. You both would be so cute, you know. He being embarrassed just holding your hand because you're so pretty and you being embarrassed because he's just so cute. I think it's adorable." _Ah, such a romantic, but that's what makes her so adorable herself._

"Uh-huh, what she said. Plus, he's strong, so he would be a great boyfriend. He would be loud and obnoxious-"

"-And he would be so protective because no one disrespects his girl-"

"-And he would glare and make faces at anyone who looked at you wrong-"

"-And he would pay so much attention to you that you would just kiss him because you find it adorable-"

"-and all kinds of other stuff. I'll find out if he's single from one of the guys and see how it goes. You never know, maybe he's your one." I snickered, "Hey, maybe you'll have cute little bald babies."

"Kagome! How mean." We laughed and enter the first store of the day.

* * *

><p>"Uwa, I don't think I can shop anymore!" I groaned at we sat at a local café.<p>

"Man, Kagome, you sure got a lot of stuff. Not a single thing of pink in there. When did you change your favorite color?"

"Not long after my fifteenth birthday. When _he_ met up with his ex-girlfriend. She was all pink, so from that moment on, I never wore pink again."

Understanding passed through their eyes, "And since you're all blue," they laughed and I grinned.

After we had ourselves a nice little dinner, we grabbed our, mostly mine, bags and started heading to my place.

On our way back I heard Ichigo, "Hey, what do you think about Inoue?"

"…Yeah. I dunno." The second voice sounded cautious and concerned, "…She denied it so much."

"I guess we have no choice but to believe her."

"I guess I was just sensing things wrong. Don't worry about it."

"OK."

As we turned the corner I saw Ichigo with a tall, dark man. I felt the tense atmosphere and it made me concerned. _Who ever this 'Inoue' person is, I hope they are all right. I haven't had time to meditate but with the fluctuations in their auras, I fell like I'm panicking just from being this close._

"Ara, Ichigo, hey."

He turned to me, "Oh, Kagome. Hey, what's up?"

"Oh, I went shopping with a couple of friends." I moved to show them, "You remember Eri and Ayumi right? We ran into them when we were going to go eat?"

I heard hellos from the girls and saw him nod, "Ah, this is Yasutora, Sado. Everyone calls him Chad." He looked over his should, "Chad, this is Kagome. I was helping her move in a couple of days ago. Those are her friends…"

"Ah, this is Ishikawa, Eri and Kiyomizu, Ayumi."

He gave a small nod and a quiet hello. I looked at Ichigo, "Is everything okay? You seem tense."

Ichigo pared a glance at Chad and answered, "Remember I told you about my friend Inoue? We think something happened to her. She told us everything was fine, but well, she's kind of a really horrible liar."

My eyes widened, "If you want I can go with you tomorrow to check up on her. I think this is something I can help her with, wouldn't you agree."

He caught the double meaning in my words and nodded, "Yeah, I'll bring her over to your house tomorrow, if that's okay."

I smiled, "That's fine. That baka Kitsune should be gone by then, but I have a guest staying with me for the week, so you can just ignore him. Although, he is quite curious so he might just pop out of his room to see who's over."

"Ano, Kagome, he's still there?"

"Yeah, I'm not about to let him go in that condition. He shouldn't even be moving, but of course, he refuses to listen to me, that stubborn baka. Plus I have Kirara there in case anything happens."

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, it was good meeting you Yasutora-san." When we went our separate ways, I felt the questioning looks being sent my way. "It's something only a Miko can fix, if it's possible. If not, then I'll be able to at least tell, what's wrong."

They looked at me thoughtfully. "It's getting kind of late and we should head back before it get's worse, is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine; I don't want anything to happen to you. I'll see you off at the bus stop or do you want me to send Kirara with you? She's amazing protection."

They giggled, "No, it's okay. We'll be fine."

* * *

><p>I waved goodbye as they got on the bus and I made my way back home.<p>

"Shippou, Byakuya, I'm home." I called out when I walked through the door. The sight that met me wasn't one I was expecting. There, in the living room, was Shippou rolling on the floor throwing a fake tantrum as Byakuya sat across the table as calm and stoic as ever. "Ano, do I even want to know? And you," I pointed at Byakuya, "You should be in bed."

Byakuya turned his head as Shippou's head popped out from behind the couch, "Okaa-san! Tell him it's not fair! He was cheating, I swear!"

Sweat dropping, I asked a question I was sure I didn't want to know the answer to, "What are you talking about?"

"He put it there and I told him that it couldn't go there. He insisted that that's where he wanted to put it. I told him it wasn't going to work-"

"Shippou, I'm alone."

"Oh," he looked crest fallen, "In that case, he was cheating at checkers."

I wanted to smack that goofy grin off his face, "Next time, see if there are other people around before you decide to make things awkward."

"You were _supposed _to bring them with you."

"And let you poison their innocent minds, I don't think so you hentai Kitsune."

"Okaa-san, how can you say those things? Do you truly have so little faith in me?" He put his hands over his heart and pouted much like a certain Houshi that I remembered.

"You hung around Miroku way too much, you know that?"

He grinned, "Yeah, Sesshoumaru-sama used to send me and Rin over for the summer so she can be taught by Kaede."

"I told you he was a prankster; I forgot to mention he was a hentai, too." I sighed, "Have you guys had anything to eat?"

"Yeah, I wasn't about to let us starve, you know."

"_Uh-huh_, I'm going to put my stuff in the laundry." I walked away ignoring my overly dramatic son and the stoic, but good looking, Shinigami.

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><p>Shippou said his goodbyes and I told him to call before he came over next time.<p>

"I thought I told you to stay in bed." It was more a statement then a question, and we both knew it. This was his third day here and I was already dreading him leaving. Of course, I couldn't tell him that.

"He wanted to play checkers after trying some rather ridiculous ways of getting my attention. I don't think he realized that I could sense he was alone in the room he was in when he was pretending that he was being stabbed."

I face palmed. "I'm glad you didn't indulge him for that. So how did he get you to play?"

"It would seem you have more in common than you know. He dragged me out of bed much similar to the way you did. Although, he did not grab me by the neck."

I took note of the look he sent me, "Hey, I warned you what I was going to do and you didn't believe me. That is your own fault." I huffed and crossed my arms.

He didn't say anything else as he got up and walked, extremely slowly and carefully back to his room.

I rolled my eyes and clean the game, before going to sleep.

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><p>That night, I had a nostalgic dream with the one being that had kept me sane in the darkest time of my life.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It was brought to my attention that I made Eri and Ayumi bind themselves to Kagome so that they wouldn't be able to say anything and I didn't do the same for Ichigo. I wrote it like this because the girls never had any knowledge of the supernatural world. As far as they were concerned, all of that was just myth and legend. Ichigo's exemption from this will be explained in later chapters, but remember he understands the value of secrecy because he is a part of a world that no one else can see. Also, I know that I didn't give the girls last names earlier, so I did give them now. **

+ **Hebi:** Snakes

+ **Kappa:** In Jaken's case, I'm willing to call him and imp in English.

+ **Kuso: **Shit

+ **Shimatta:** Damn it

+ **Ishikawa:** Stone River

+ **Kiyomizu:** Pure Water


	14. Chapter 14: Truly Nostalgic

**A/N: I'm going to break this chapter up differently. The line is for the flashback and the ****are for the different points of view. I know people don't know what others think unless their told, but I didn't want you to be confused, because if this was broken without their point of view, then things wouldn't make much sense later on. Now I present to you the next chapter!**

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><p><span>Chapter 14: Truly Nostalgic<span>

That night, when I went to sleep, I heard a voice. It was deep, sensual, seductive, and called out to the very core of my being. It called out to me like nothing I had ever felt before. I had felt the call of the Shikon no Tama, but this, this was worse and on a more personal level. It scared me. Tossing and turning, I felt like I was on fire, but at the same time, it was soothing and nostalgic.

It reminded me of the biggest mistake of my life, of the biggest regret, and, most importantly, of the day that I almost mated Inuyasha. It was the day that broke me; the day I died and was reborn.

* * *

><p>Today was the day I was going to mate Inuyasha, the guy I had been in love with for so long.<p>

I remembered everyone telling me that it was a bad idea. I shouldn't go through with such a life altering and permanent choice, because he wasn't the one for me. They told me that he was only going to hurt me and that he didn't deserve an onna of my caliber. He would only betray me because he only had room on his heart for Kikyo. He loved her far too much to give himself to anyone else. Blinded by the thought and prospect of not having to let go, he would never see Kagome.

Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to believe any of them. I had believed that we worked out all our problems and talked everything through. I mean, he wouldn't have asked if he wasn't sincere, right? My hon'nou screamed and pleaded with me not to go through with it, but I pushed it aside as nerves. I had convinced myself he truly meant what he said. It was, after all, the day I was supposed to become the happiest onna of all time.

The ritual had gone off without a hitch. It was time to mate and mark me as his for all eternity. As we started undressing each other slowly, I looked into his eyes expecting to see the undying love he had professed to me not a week before. I was taken back at what his eyes said in opposition to his face.

In his eyes, I saw the disgust for what he was about to do; the hatred for having to give himself to me and as opposed to Kikyo; and the loathing that it was me that he would take as mate. The loathing that he had to do such acts with me specifically; his eyes said that he would rather have anyone, as long as it was not me. All these things, I never thought he would fell towards me. I had given him my tamashii willingly, and he crushed it. After everything we'd been through, he held hostility for me when I had done nothing more than love him.

Unlike my mind, my body traitorous body reacted as if he was a musician and I was his instrument. It grew more aroused as he taunted it , showing it many ways he could please it if only it would submit. That was the only part I had control of; I wouldn't allow myself to submit. My body shivered in anticipation as he growled into my core demanding my submission.

Just as I felt myself getting ready to submit against my will, I gasped at the sight of Kikyo's shinidamachuu. He scented the air, leapt off me as he gathered his clothes, redressed, and took off. My mind shut down.

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Miroku had been on his way to the onsen right outside the village. As he passed the tree line into the small clearing, he froze, "Ara, Kagome, I didn't know you-" he stopped mid-sentence when she didn't react.

Making his way to the unaware Miko, he set his shakujou down and gripped her shoulder, bracing himself for her screaming. When she stayed immobile, he turned her and fell back when he caught the most hauntingly absent eyes any living being could have.

Spotting her clothes, he grabbed her rather large haori and wrapped the little Miko inside. Setting her gently on the grass, Miroku gathered all their possessions and carried her back to the village as quickly as possible. Not wanting to shame her further, he covered her as much as possible, before running into the village and bursting into Kaede's hut.

"Miroku, what troubles ye to rush so," asked the old Miko, not having seen him.

Laying Kagome on the futon, he spoke, "It's Kagome, Kaede. I found her at the onsen."

Having heard the panic in his voice, she spun around and frowned at the state of undress the young Miko was in. Pushing him out of the hut, she went about checking for wounds. Finding none, she dressed the little Miko properly and called the Houshi back inside. "What happened Miroku?"

"I do not know, Kaede. I was going to bathe and found her in the onsen."

They gave each other grim looks before facing the unconscious Miko.

"Kagome, child, what has put ye in such a state?"

At the sound of her name, Kagome opened her eyes with the same hollow look as before. They watched as she took in the surroundings of the hut and promptly passed out after discerning that she was in a safe location.

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As my eyes closed, I returned to my dreams of being comforted by a massive Hi no Tori. He was holding me as I cried and let out my heart brake. Crooning when I would wail; his fire never burned me. He kept me warm in the cold nightmare that had been made in my tamashii. His flames lit the darkness that began to surround me at the treachery at the hands of Inuyasha. He rubbed his beak against my back, soothing my pain. This figment of my imagination brought me back from the brink of insanity that day and had forever changed my life.

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Miroku and Kaede kept watch as Kagome slept.

Sango, Kirara, and Shippou appeared a few hours later and heard Miroku's story.

"Where is Inuyasha? Weren't they supposed to…" she trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

"I know not, Sango. You know what we…" he looked at the small youkai as they slowly made their way, noses first, to Kagome, "What's wrong?"

"Okaa-san's scent is changing." Shippou said with awe, "It's impossible to change your scent, but Kagome's is changing!" He looked at the ningen and clarified, "Kagome used to smell like water lilies, fresh rain, and a purity that is distinctly hers. You can hide your scent or mask it with another for a little while, but you can't change it." He puffed out his chest with pride at knowing something his elders didn't.

"Wow, Shippou, I didn't know that. What does she smell like now?"

Shippou looked back at the ningen he chose as his Okaa-san and scented the air around her, "She still has the special smell of purity, but now she smells like fire and raw chikara, with a hint of sakura. I don't know how to explain it, but it smells really good. The fire doesn't smell like something burning, it's kind of difficult to explain, but like I said, it's a really good scent." He regarded the ningen and smiled, "I like it. If I hadn't been here when it happened, I wouldn't have believed it, ne, Kirara?"

Meowing a 'yes,' Kirara went to curl up by her friend and gave a good impression of a yelp when she came into contact with Kagome. The others rushed to check on them and froze inches away from the futon when Kirara gave an angry hiss. It didn't take Kirara long to deter them from trying to touch her friend by clawing at them when they came to close to Kagome for comfort.

The others thought it wise to leave Kagome in peace when it was made clear that Kirara wasn't about to let anyone near Kagome. She had even attacked poor Shippou when he tried to snuggle with his Okaa-san.

111111111111111111111111111

I cried all my pain, anger, sadness, and everything else I had felt for the hanyou. After everything was out of my system, the Hi no Tori nudged me, telling me it was time to go. I nodded and looked into his eyes for the first time. His eyes shone like the sun. from the pupil out, it faded from a deep crimson to a vibrant yellow and I was mesmerized. With a final nudge, I gave him a small hug with a peck on the beak and felt myself return to the waking world.

111111111111111111111111111

I sat up as I opened my eyes and heard gasps. "Kagome, are you alright? Miroku said he found you in an onsen, but didn't know if you were injured." Sango held me close as I returned her embrace.

"I'm fine Sango." I regarded Miroku and smiled, "Thanks for finding me Miroku. I'm glad you did." I looked at my lap and saw Kirara asleep and heard Shippou whimper, "Come here, Sweetie. I'm okay, don't worry, love."

"Kagome, I hate to ask this," Sango took a deep breath, "Where's Inuyasha?"

I stared straight into her eyes and said in an emotionless tone, "I don't know, nor do I care what troubles the hanyou is getting himself into. It is his business and he had better keep it away from me, or he'll be sorry." I watched as they took a few steps back at the tone I used for my specific choice of words.

"Kagome, what exactly happened between you and Inuyasha," asked Miroku warily.

"Nothing. The ritual was finished, but thankfully before the hanyou could mark me, Kikyo sent her shinidamachuu and he ran off, leaving me to fend for myself naked and aroused." I sighed and moved to where my bangs were covering my eyes, "I don't know what I did after he left. My mind literally shut down and I was on auto pilot. I wasn't aware of anything out here. I'm just glad that she called him, which kept me from being marked. You were right; I should have listened when you warned me that it wouldn't work. Gomen."

"There is no need for an apology. Get some rest, child. Ye have had a rather taxing day. If ye are up to it, we can speak of it more tomorrow." Kaede spoke before the atmosphere became too heavy and I was grateful. Inuyasha was the furthest thing from my mind and I didn't want to waste time on someone that wasn't worth it.

"I want to go home for tonight. I'll come back sometime tomorrow. Before I leave, I'm going to seal the well against the hanyou so he won't be able to bother my family. I would appreciate it if the hanyou didn't find out that I sealed it against him." I smirked, "When I leave, get rid of all the ramen. I don't care how you do it, just make sure it's gone. I'm never going to bring anymore back. I don't care if he has anything to say about it, because if he opens his mouth, he'll be reintroduced to his best friend, the ground." My smirk grew as they chuckled.

After all was said and done, I found myself all alone at the well, just like I wanted.

Positioning myself at the base of the well, I silently chanted the sealing spell I had created. I felt my miko-ki blend in with the magic of the well unaware of a rather interesting side effect that I would later learn about.

Smiling sadly, I patted the old well affectionately. I jumped in completely unaware of the cold, golden eyes following my descent.

111111111111111111111111111

The golden eyes narrowed before disappearing into the surrounding forest.

111111111111111111111111111

Just outside the village, Miroku held Sango as she cried for the fate of her imouto. Trying to make sense of what Inuyasha had done, she asked, "How could he, Miroku? If he knew that he would always go to _it_, why would he ask Kagome to mate him?"

"The hanyou knows that the clay one will never be able to bear him an heir," said the Western Daiyoukai.

They jumped to attention and bowed, "Sesshoumaru-sama, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

He turned his old eyes to the Houshi, "Tell me Houshi, where does the well take the Miko?" Miroku tried not to fidget under the scrutinizing glare, unsure of what exactly to say, "It is useless to lie to This One, for he can detect dishonesty and lies in your scent."

Miroku sighed, "No disrespect intended, Sesshoumaru-sama, but that is a question better answered by the person most affected by such inquiries."

He looked at the Houshi and Taijiya, "When does the half breed intend to mate the Miko?"

The ningen gave each other unsure looks and answered, "That, too, is a question best answered by the person most affected. I do not think Kagome would like for others to be spreading her business when she is a person who values privacy. You may ask her next time you see her, if you would like. Although, there is no telling if she would answer you. She has been…dishonored by Inuyasha for the last time and I do not know how she will react to such a personal question, Sesshoumaru-sama."

His expression never changed as he turned and walked away, after replying, "Tell the Miko that This Sesshoumaru must speak with her. Should she agree when you inform her, have her pulse her miko-ki thrice and This One shall return to retrieve her for our discussion."

The engaged couple stood speechless till one of them finally broke the silence, "Well, I wonder what that was about." Sango looked from her fiancé to where the Daiyoukai disappeared.

"I wish I knew, my dear Sango. I only hope nothing bad comes about when they speak to each other."

Sango didn't like the thought of Kagome being anywhere near Sesshoumaru alone and made it a point to say so, "You aren't going to tell her are you? We don't know what he'll do to her. I won't let Kagome anywhere near him alone."

"Sango, he saw her go into the well not too long ago. If he wanted to do anything, he could have done it then." Miroku held her hand as she continued to fret over the onna that had become more than just their friend. She had become their imouto.

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Sesshoumaru scowled at the possibilities of all the things Inuyasha could have done to the little Miko he had become quite curious about. He had always believed Inuyasha had no honor and that made the possibilities even worse. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't hate hanyou for being hanyou. As a matter of fact, some of the men in his army had taken ningen mates and conceived hanyou offspring. The hanyou had grown up under youkai influence, thus understood the importance of control and honor. It was rogue hanyou that he despised for their lack of honor, control, moral, and discipline.

No, he hated Inuyasha for his lack of honor and unwillingness to accept responsibility for his actions. He hated that Inuyasha only looked after Inuyasha. The boy, thinking he was Alpha, drew the pack into the most dangerous of situations simply because he could not use his head.

He, personally, had to save the Miko's pack on a couple of occasions, they knew nothing about, simply because the hanyou had scented the dead one and didn't want to be too far from it. There were times he left the sleeping pack unattended to rut with the undead one for hours. If he hadn't been passing by on those occasions, they would have been slaughtered in their sleep.

Sesshoumaru looked up at the night sky, _I think it is time to train the Miko on how to be a proper Alpha. Also, she needs to learn the art of war should she continue this journey. She will need to know how to defend herself since the half breed will no longer be there to protect her. I will not always be there to protect them._

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I walked inside to find the house dark and empty. I sighed as I found myself in the kitchen. A note on the fridge caught my attention.

_Kagome,_

_I thought you might be coming home soon. Gomen that we weren't able to be there. We're on vacation for the week. I left you money in the usual spot. We should be back on Sunday._

_Much Love;_

_Mama_

_Great, this is perfect. I was hoping to get the house to myself. Now I can relax at home and not have all the awkward questions._

I got the bath ready and picked out the most comfortable pajamas I could find in my closet and settled down with my music.

_I can't believe he was willing to go through with mating me when he didn't even want to._ I pulled my knees to my chest as best as I could and let my thoughts wander. _What did I do to make him hate me so much? I'm not so much heart broken anymore as confused. I cried everything out when I passed out earlier. My dream felt so realistic. I'm glad that whoever that was held me. No questions asked; just holding me and crying with me, like they understood exactly what I was going through. Inuyasha will never be a part of my life again. What he did was beyond betrayal. He was willing to resort to deception and lies to get what he wanted. He's just like Naraku._

_I don't know how I couldn't see it. I knew what he was like. Always promising things he would and wouldn't do then going around and doing the exact opposite. He would brake a promise and then say he wouldn't do it again, I would forgive him, and we would start the whole process all over again to the point that it became a predictable routine. I think one of the worst parts is that he promised to protect me and he went and did this._ I scoffed, _it seems the only thing I need protecting from is him. Our next meeting isn't going to end well, that much I know. There's going to be a homicide the next time I see that bakayaro. And I'm not going to be the one pushing up daisies from six feet under._

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><p>I was shaken awake by a strong grip and the alluring voice of my temporary roommate.<p>

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><p>+ <strong>Onsen:<strong> Hot spring

+ **Hi no Tori:** Bird of Fire

+ **Chikara:** Power

+ **Sakura:** Cherry Blossoms


	15. Chapter 15: My Name Is

Chapter 15: My Name is…

My miko-ki flared when I felt someone trying to wake me up. Grabbing a dagger from under my pillow, I let my miko-ki flow through the blade and held it against the person who woke me. Mind still asleep, but body alert, my senses expanded and told me there was no threat and I wasn't in Sesshoumaru's kyuutei. Finally catching my bearings, I scowled at a stunned Byakuya.

"Is there a reason you're waking me up at the unholy hour of," I glanced at my alarm clock, "3:16 in the morning?" I asked as I sheathed my dagger.

Byakuya asked bemused, "You sleep with a dagger?"

I glared, "I know you didn't wake me to check out my sleeping habits, what's wrong?"

I heart him grunt at the awkward position he was in, "It felt like the house was going to catch fire. I came to find the source of the heat and your skin looked like it had caught aflame. If I wasn't so exposed to certain things, it would have burned me as well."

My eye twitched, "You woke me for what exactly?"

He glared, "Your reiatsu was out of control. You could have set the place ablaze."

I felt myself getting angry, "What are you talking about?"

His eyes narrowed, "What were you dreaming about?"

My fingers itched to grab hold of my dagger, "I don't think-"

"Now isn't the time to play coy." His voice was harsh, "What were you dreaming?"

We glared at each other, neither wanting to back down. I knew I would have won, if not for Kirara jumping straight into my lap and setting me straight, in her own neko way. I huffed, "If you must know, I was dreaming of my almost wedding day."

He sat up straight in shock, but clutched his side in pain, "Interesting, but not what I was speaking of. There's more to that dream then just memories. Was there anything out of the ordinary? Like someone else was with you while you dreamt?"

I wanted to punch him and roll my eyes all at the same time, "Can you be anymore vague? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

He closed his eyes and let out a small sigh, "Never mind then." He walked to the door, "If there was someone with you, you might want to try to talk to them. They may be able to help you with what you are going through." I was left alone in my dark room doing my best to not go out and pummel my temporary tenant.

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><p>Closing my eyes, I drifted back to my nightmare of a past.<p>

I woke up that morning feeling slightly more refreshed than I had been before I came home. I couldn't bring myself to stay any longer than I already had and went back through the well. The sight that greeted me was one I had been expecting. Jumping over the edge, I saw I frustrated Miroku and a tearing Sango. Shippou was shaking so much from anger and Kirara had jumped on my shoulder knuckling me, trying to make me feel better.

Miroku caught my eye with his stern expression, "Kagome, before we talk about what happened, you must know that Sesshoumaru came looking for you. I can't say if it was important or not, but he seemed to want to get a hold of you as quickly as possible. He said that if you do wish to speak to him after I told you this, you need to pulse your miko-ki thrice and he will return for you."

Sango jumped in, "You know I don't trust him and wouldn't let you near him without any of us, but after thinking it over, I think you need to talk to him. I think this is the miracle we were hoping for. I don't know how to explain it, but when I woke up this morning, I knew you had to see him." Her eyes were set in her determination.

Looking into the forest, I couldn't help but agree, even though my hon'nou were screaming that it was a bad idea. I knew she was right; that it had to be done. I just prayed that I would come out of it in one piece and completely sane.

Concentrating on my miko-ki, I did as instructed and told the others that I wanted to meet Sesshoumaru alone. Granted, that didn't sit well with them, but I was quick to remind them that he could easily snatch me away and we would still be left alone.

Reluctantly, they went back to the village, leaving me alone in the clearing waiting for walking death.

I steeled myself as I felt Sesshoumaru's youki enter the clearing and he landed, dispelling his cloud. _I hope this isn't a bad idea. I don't care what anyone says, I'm too stressed right now to deal with any disrespect he plans to dish out._

"Miko, it seems you have willingly sought out This Sesshoumaru."

I sighed, "No offense, Sesshoumaru, but is there something you need? I'm not in the mood for anything. I have too much on my plate, and I can barely concentrate as it is."

His brow raised, "You disrespect This Sesshoumaru. One wonders if you have any sensibilities in that ningen mind."

I rubbed my temples to ward off the on coming head ache, "You asked for me. I'm just following the instructions that you left."

He turned, "Come, Miko, and see why This Sesshoumaru requires your presence."

Eye twitching, I followed the arrogant inu into the forest and prayed I had done nothing to piss him off.

We reached a new clearing in the forest, one I didn't recognize, and he spoke, "Tell me, Miko, where doers the well lead? This One has seen you plunge into its depths on more then one occasion."

Searching his eyes for anything, I found nothing. He kept his eyes just as guarded as his face, "Tell me, Sesshoumaru, why you allow a ningen child to follow you wherever you go." His eyes narrowed. "You see Sesshoumaru, there are some questions neither of us fell like answering." I sighed, "I'm tired Sesshoumaru. I have had an incredibly exhausting week. Can you please tell me why you lead me all the way out here?"

His poster relaxed, "This One believes you lack the training to defeat Naraku." He held his had up as I was about to protest, "This one does not mean to insult, Miko, he is merely stating facts. If you be willing, This One, would bring you to his home to train you the way he sees fit."

I feel back a step, "Wait, what?"

"Is your ningen mind incapable of understanding This One's offer?" His voice asked with amusement.

Completely ignoring the insult, I shook my head, "Yeah, that's what I thought you said. Now, the question stands, why does the Great Sesshoumaru want to train a lowly Miko?"

He held out a shard, "This One is under no delusion, he knows that only you will be able to defeat the hanyou. He thinks that if there is any chance, you must know how to fight and control your own chikara. You cannot continue to rely solely on luck, for that luck will soon run out."

Not even daring to reach for the shard, I looked him straight in the eyes, "If, I agree to this, what kind of training am I going to go through exactly."

He smirked and I knew this was going to be a very bad idea, "You are not going to go through a normal routine. This One will take you away from the others so there are no distractions nor any interruptions. We will be gone for quite some time. If you have anyone to say farewells to, now would be the time. The final battle is approaching and This One would not have the only chance we have at defeating the kumo dying from her lack of skill and knowledge."

My eye twitched, "Sesshoumaru, we've been traveling together for two months. Even if you don't exactly camp with us, which I think you should, can't you just say you are concerned with my well being and want to do something nice to help me protect myself?" I asked.

He raised his eye brow, "Miko, you should know This One does not lie."

"I know, but it would have made me feel a whole lot better." I smiled. Even if he didn't say it, I was sure as hell planning to take it my way.

"Miko, gather your things and say your farewells to all whom you must. We leave as soon as your ready." He lead my back to the village outskirts and walked away as I stare dumbfounded.

I walked, in a small daze, back to the village and saw Sango and Miroku waiting for me in front of Kaede's hut.

Turning their heads, they ran up to me, "Kagome, are you okay? What happened?" Sango asked me with concern clear across her features.

"I honestly don't know what to say. It wasn't what I was expecting. I mean, really? Who would have thought."

Miroku put his hand on my shoulder, "Kagome, what are you talking about?"

"You're never going to believe it. The Sesshoumaru told me he was going to train me. Granted he was rude about it, but he told me he was going to train me. He had that smirk he wears when someone's about to die and it scared the living day lights out of me, but he said he was taking me to him home to train me. Can you believe it? Him, training me?"

The unresponsive faces on my friends was all I need to know they couldn't register is either. "That's exactly how I felt. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready to go." I gathered my things, thankful that I hadn't unpacked anything yet and walked back out of the hut after saying my good byes to Kaede, Shippou, and Kirara.

I hugged my nee-san and nii-san, but just before I walked away, I said, "I don't care what you tell the hanyou, but do not tell him that I sealed the well against him. Even if he does find out, no one is going to be able to unseal it besides me, because I didn't use any of the known seals, I made up my own. Just don't tell him I went with Sesshoumaru, I'm sure he'll figure it out sooner or later." I gave them one last hug before going into the forest where Sesshoumaru had left me. Looking back, I smiled at the village that had and would become my home.

Seeing Sesshoumaru, I ran up to him and let him know I was ready for anything.

My dream shifted to a different setting all together. It was a clearing. On my left, there was a grand shrine; bigger than the one I had lived in. On my right, was the well I had for so long traveled through. Directly on the other side of the clearing was the koi pond I had remembered from Sesshoumaru's kyuutei. That had become my favorite place, for I often went there to escape everything and allowed myself to relax as best I could. Surrounding everything was a forest.

The winds picked up, and I had to hold my hands in front of my face till it cleared. There in front of me, was the same fushichou that helped me the day Inuyasha destroyed my heart.

He looked around before nodding and returning his gaze towards me. I felt no fear as I saw my savior. I smiled brightly and run up to him, embracing his neck as best I could. I heard him chuckle like only he could. Lifting my head, I caught his amused bird grin and smiled even more.

Using his beak, he gently pushed me away, "I like what you have done to the place, little one. It suits all that you are."

My head tilted to the side, "You talk."

He laughed a laugh so rich and old, yet young and lively, "Yes, little one, I can speak. Tell me, why had you chosen here to meet?"

I took a good look around, "I don't know what you're talking about. This is just a dream and you can't possibly be real."

He laughed again, "I assure you little one, I am as far from being a dream as you. This place is my home, just a it is yours."

I nodded skeptically, "Okay, so then, where is this place."

"You do not recognize it? No, I did not think you would. The last time you were here, this place was shrouded in darkness. When the hanyou left you that night, you retreated into the very depths of your soul. This is where you came. At the time, you were so broken that darkness had covered everything. I had felt your pain as my own and cried with you."

"I remember, although I do not with to."

It was his turn to tilt his head, "Really? I am quite grateful to the hanyou, for if not for him, you may never have found me. His acts allowed for us to meet, and for that, I will be forever grateful. Do not look at his act for what it had done to you in that moment, but rather what it had allowed you to accomplish later on. I had been trying to call out to you for some time. I had not been whole when I had first started, but certain circumstances have allowed me to be whole once more. I knew the moment you were born, I was not long for the world I had been residing in. I had been counting the centuries for the day I would become one with you, my little one."

I sat down, leaning against his large body, "Then, who exactly are you?"

He chuckled, "My name, little one, is *******."

I frowned, "What, I didn't heard you."

He craned his long neck down to me and looked with one eye, "So it would seem. You are not ready to know my name. Do not worry, little one, in time, you will be able to hear my name. It will become as familiar to you as your own. For now, it is time you awaken. You need to meditate as Midoriko has said and you have been slacking in your duties." He chuckled, "Fear not, you will return and I will be waiting."

* * *

><p>I was awaken to the sound of Kirara meowing her hunger. Raising my eye brow, she gave a neko smile and I giggled, "Come on Kirara, let's get you some breakfast. After that, I need to get some meditating and practice in. I'm pretty sure I've been going soft and if Sesshoumaru-sama were to find out, well lets just say that it wouldn't be good for my health, ne?"<p>

At her meow, I got myself ready and made breakfast for her and Byakuya. Skipping my own breakfast, I planted myself in the middle of my living room and started to meditate. Loosing track, yet being aware, of the outside world, I plunging into the depths of my mind.

* * *

><p>Byakuya woke to the feeling of the most calming and pure aura he had ever felt. His thoughts drifted to the tiny Miko who helped him in his time of need and he felt a pang in his heart at the thought of leaving her in two more days. Frowning, he brought his hand over his heart, curious as to why he would feel such sadness at leaving her. Pushing those persistent thoughts aside, he went about readying himself as best he could and walked into the dining room and saw breakfast still warm.<p>

He looked into the living room and saw the little onna in a meditative state. Curious as to how deep her state was, he walked behind her. Just as he was about to hit her, the tip of a katana appeared in his face, "That is rude you know. I don't try to attack you while you sleep, I would ask that you not do so while I meditate."

He schooled his features, "You must not be meditating properly if you are aware of the on goings around you."

He could have sworn he heard her smirk, "My meditation was quite deep. I was bringing myself out of it when I felt you approaching. It is how I was trained. Now, if you don't mind," the katana vanished, "You're breakfast is on the table and I have to continue or risk suffocation. You're katana is under your bed, just in case you were wondering."

He gave her a look and went to grab his zanpakuto before eating his breakfast.

After he finished his meal, he placed his dishes in the sink and joined her in meditation intent on questioning Senbonzakura about the insufferably, mysterious Miko.

* * *

><p>I felt myself being drawn even further than I would normally go.<p>

"Well, this has never happened before."

The giant Fushichou chuckled, making me want to smile, "No, I would think not. Since we have never spoken before last night."

I launched myself at the Tori and hugged him again, "You know, I think that every time I see you, I'm going to be doing this."

His chuckling continued, "That, little one, will always be welcomed."

His feathers felt like a gentle fire and it was soothing. "Okay," I said with my face still in his feathers, "So what is happening?"

"You know, little one, for as old as I am, I must say, I am surprised you have managed Jinzen without even realizing what you were doing."

"Jinzen? And why does it feel like Byakuya is staring at me, the hentai. You're so soft."

He laughed whole heartedly and I smiled even more as I nuzzled his feathers, "Come, little one, and face me so that we may speak."

I reluctantly released him and sat across from him on the well.

"Jinzen is meditation to talk to one's zanpakuto." He waited for a reaction.

I sweat marked. "Huh?"

"I know not how you came to have one, but you do have one. I know for a fact that there no Shinigami in your line. While you are the descendants of many powerful Miko and Houshi, you have no Shinigami ancestor. You are a rarity among many."

"Yeah, that makes me feel loads better. I was a freak back then, I'm still one now, that hasn't changed in 500 years." I sighed, "You said, you weren't whole. What did you mean by that?"

He appeared to be thoughtful, "I am a rather ancient spirit. Never before have I had a wielder. Never before has anyone had the strength to wield me. I appeared to Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni as a rather sizable halberd many millennia ago. I allowed him to do as he pleased with me while I awaited you. I was meant for you, my little one. You are the only one capable of wielding me and all my strength."

My jaw dropped, "Me…but there's nothing special about me." I could tell he didn't like that train of thought, "Don't get me wrong, I know I have quite a big tamashii and I have vast amounts of miko-ki and that's just my reserves. I just mean to say that there are probably Shinigami out there that are far stronger than me."

I swear, he was pouting, "No, little one. None out there have what it takes to wield me. While some may be stronger at the moment, when we have truly become one, there will be none out there that will surpass us in strength. I will follow you into the Soul Society when your life here ends." He looked thoughtful once again, "Maybe you can take over for that wrinkly old man when you go to Soul Society?" He chuckled to himself.

"Uh-huh. Well, let's worry about that when it happens. Wait…you said halberd."

"I know you have the skills to wield one. You were drawn to them on many occasions when training with the pup, were you not?"

I choked on his words, "Pup? Wait, you said you appeared many millennia ago. How long is many?" Somehow I knew I was afraid of the answer.

He lowered his head and glanced at me with one eye before returning to his original position. "I believe it was about five; so yes, your Alpha is a pup to me."

I fell off the well laughing so hard, I was clutching my sides, "I…h-h-h-hope I never…h-have to hear you…c-c-call him that in…p-p-p-public!" It took me a while to sober from my momentary lapse in sanity. "Why did you have to go so long without a wielder?"

"I was made for you. I know not why we were separated the way we were, but I am glad to be reunited with you once more, my little one. We were at some point one, do not fret, for your tamashii is as ancient as I. It is merely your physical form that is young."

Nodding, I sighed, "I have been here a really long time and I'm hungry. Can we talk tomorrow?"

He chuckled, "We can speak whenever you please, little one. Go eat and I will see you again."

Giving him one last hug, I brought myself out of my meditation and came fact to face with Kirara.

Yelping, I fell back, "Kirara, I know you were curious and probably freaking out, but next time, can you make sure Byakuya doesn't glare at me all the time? It's not very nice."

With a meow, she licked my face and plopped herself on the couch for another nap.

I rolled my eyes, "Ne, Byakuya-chan, want to spar with me?"

He scowled, "Do not call me with that insufferable suffix."

"That doesn't tell me if you want to spar. I want to make sure, you're healing nicely. I know the wounds have close, which I must say, it was so quickly, but I don't want us both to get rusty just sitting around doing nothing."

"If it means that I can beat some respect into you, then so be it."

"You can try, but only one person has actually managed that; and I still give him nicknames!" I jumped up, "To the roof!"

* * *

><p>Our sparring lasted a glorious four and a half hours. Sadly, we were interrupted but a shout of "Stop" by an orange haired onna with a rather big bust and butt and really tiny waist. I felt the need to stare. I couldn't help it, she had a really good figure; not that onna were my were my type, but even I can appreciate a good looking onna. Not that mine was bad, she was actually just a tiny bit bigger than me. When I finally tore my eyes away from her, the rested on a rather bored looking Byakuya.<p>

Next appeared my dear friend Ichigo, "Inoue, I told you to wait up. What if-" he took in his surroundings, "Never mind. Hey, Kagome, what are you doing?"

I pointed at the dainty looking onna, "Ano, Ichigo, who's she?"

"Ah, this is Inoue, Orihime. She's the one I was telling you about."

"Ah," I felt sorry for her, she came barging in and could have gotten really hurt, but she also seemed confused, "Yoroshiku, Inoue-san." I scowled as Byakuya tried to make a get away, "Byakuya-chan, can you feed Kirara? Her food is in the fridge. Heat it up for her and she'll let you know when it's ready. Thanks." I stifled a giggle at his dark glare.

"Onna-"

"Do you want a repeat session, I'm sure I could allow myself to let loose." He shut up and scowled as he walked away. I smiled triumphantly. "Why don't we go inside. I'll fix Kirara's food and we can talk."

I ran after Byakuya as they followed and jumped on his shoulders, enjoying the brief contact. It made my heart soar and I knew that I was going to miss taking care of and teasing him. I let myself linger longer than I should have, but I couldn't help it. I had tried to control myself when we were sparring. He was just too handsome to take my eyes off. Already I felt my heart beating fast just being near him, but touching him had made my flesh feel like it was on fire. I felt myself wanting to be closer to him, but knew it could happen. He would leave and completely forget me; while I would try to live on as none of this had ever happened and yet be reminded of him in many things I see and do.

* * *

><p>Little did she know Byakuya was thinking the same way. <em>Why do I feel like I am going to miss her? We barely know each other and I can already feel an attachment being formed. What is it about her that draws me in? Why do I tolerate her teasing when I would just as quickly put others in their place. Why do I enjoy her touch so much that I almost forget all about Hisana? My lovely Hisana, so peaceful and kind.<em>

_She carried none of the spontaneity that Kagome does and I am grateful that they are nothing alike. Why, after so long, do I feel an attraction forming to one that would normally hold nothing for me. In some ways she acts just like Matsumoto, outgoing and teasing, in other ways she is just so honest and pure. She cares and is so old yet so young. There is something about her that hold secrets that I wish to unlock, and yet for the life of me, I can't understand why! We have hardly spent any time together and I only want to spend more with her. I shouldn't feel something like this for some ningen!_

* * *

><p>After we went inside and I fixed Kirara's food and some tea, Byakuya went to him room to sulk.<p>

Rolling my eyes, I set the on the table in the living room and smiled, "So, what's up?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I must thank Lady of the Crescent Moon for Kagome's Zanpakuto! For those who have not recognized it yet, keep guessing as to who her Zanpakuto might be! Cookies to those who get it right! Please R & R! Also, I have started another story for those who would like to read it, it's called **_**A Heart of the Past Meets A Love of the Future**_**. Enjoy!**

+ **Kumo:** Spider

+ **Fushichou:** Phoenix

+ **Jinzen:** Meditation so deep, it allows for communication between Zanpakuto and Shinigami.


	16. Chapter 16: Get Over It

**A/N: Okay! I have a surprise for my readers. This A/N is dedicated to GRIMMICH! Here is your surprise! I hope you like it!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 16: Get Over It<span>

Orihime shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the position she had placed herself in earlier. Ichigo sighed as he noticed her stressed figure, "Kagome, you remember me telling you about Inoue. This is her."

I watched the onna fiddle with her sleeve and smiled, "Hi, we didn't get the chance to properly introduce ourselves. I'm Higurashi Kagome. Yoroshiku."

The poor onna looked at med confused, "Ano, yoroshiku, Higurashi-san."

I sighed, "Please, call me Kagome, I hate formalities."

"Kagome-san. Ichigo tells me you might be able to help with whatever happened yesterday. I told him I'm fine, but he doesn't believe me."

Ichigo glared at the wall, "Inoue, you're a really horrible liar. You do this all the time so people wouldn't worry about you. There are people that care about you; just let us help you. That's what friends are for, right?"

She still looked uncomfortable but she managed a small smile.

"Okay, now that that awkwardness is out of the way-"

"What's Byakuya doing here?" Ichigo looked at me, "By the way, Kenpachi caught us while on our way here. We tried to out run him, but I think he'll manage to find us since Ikkaku is leading the way."

Before I could answer, there was a knock at my door. I looked at the two people in front of me and raised an eye brow and Ichigo's scowl. Shaking my head, I went to answer the door.

I can safely say that I wasn't the least bit surprised that when I opened the door, three rugged likening men were standing outside my door.

I blinked and blinked again and felt Byakuya coming out of his room to see what the ruckus was. Sighing, I let them in and prayed nothing would happen to destroy my little apartment and promptly said as much.

Kenpachi just smirked as Ikkaku and Yumichika walked in the direction I was pointing.

After putting out more tea, I looked at the new arrivals, "Please behave. I have someone staying with me and they need to recuperate. I don't to give him the added-"

"Eh, Kuchiki, so this is where you've been hiding." Grinned the over zealous Taichou.

"Hn, it seems that they have let the dog off his leash. What are you doing here, Zaraki? Did they finally decide to get rid of you?" Sneered Byakuya.

I looked between the two very imposing men, and watched with horror as Kenpachi got up slowly in a very predatory way. As he was half way to Byakuya, I pounced on his back, pulling him down, and twisted so that I locked both arms behind his back with no chance of escaping.

"Oi let me go! I have a chance to kill that prissy bakayaro! Come on, Higurashi, no one has to know how it happened! It'll be fun!" He said as he tried to wiggle out of my hold.

Somehow managing to take off my waist weight, I tied his arms with it and walked away with all the dignity I could for having just ambushed someone.

I held my head up triumphantly as he grunted and started making pained noises. "What the fuck, Higurashi! What the hell do you do? This shit is fuckin' heavy!" I walked behind him as he stopped struggling and dragged him back to his original spot, ignoring the gaping looks in my direction.

When I saw Byakuya hint amusement at Kenpachi's misfortune, I smirked, "Careful Byakuya-chan, I could end up doing the same to you. I have plenty of things I could use." My smirk grew as he glared at me and sat next to me. I tried not to show how happy it made me being so close to Byakuya.

I looked at Ichigo and Orihime, "That's right, where were we?"

Orihime continued fiddling with her sleeve, "I was attacked yesterday." Everyone looked at her as she continued, "The strange thing is, I know I was stabbed in the heart, but there was no hole. I saw it go through, but nothing happened. I was just in shock, but…" she trailed off.

Nodding to myself, I knelt in front of her, "Do you mind if I take a look at something? I promise you don't have to do anything, just sit there. Is that okay?"

She glanced at Ichigo for help, but he was too busy keeping an eye on Kenpachi. She nodded shyly and allowed me to check her.

"You might feel a small tingle. It's nothing bad, that's just me looking around, okay? Now close your eyes and hold still."

Putting my left hand on her forehead and my right hand over her heart, I allowed myself to sink into the depths of her tamashii.

I had to hold back a gasp as I saw how much pain and sadness she was hiding. Her tamashii was bright and large but it was being tainted slowly by the negative emotions that she allowed herself to hold onto. I browsed through her emotions and pain catching something that didn't quite belong. In the same place she said she was stabbed, I saw a cut with tendrils seeping into her. They looked hideous and jagged; almost like they were put there for the purpose of corrupting her; changing who she was by adding a foreign element. My ghostly hand recoiled as soon as I touched it. I felt myself grow angry at whoever had done this.

Bringing myself back from her, I cursed with words that would make sailors blush. I glared at the wall as my miko-ki went back to its resting place. Taking deep, calming breaths, I spoke, "Whoever did this is a dead man. No one had the right to screw with tamashii like this!" I felt Orihime flinch and I did my best to sooth her, "It's not you, although, you need to get over your inferiority complex. It's not good for you."

She gasped and Ichigo turn his glare on me, "Watch it, Kagome. I brought her so you could help her, not make her feel worse. You have no right-"

"Don't you dare Ichigo. I know exactly what she is going through. I have every right to make sure she doesn't end up like me. It took for my tamashii to break before I was able to be confident in myself. Do you want her to end up the same way? Do you want her to make a mistake so horrible; she will forget what it means to be Inoue, Orihime? Do you want her to retreat so far into herself she becomes a walking corpse?"

The little onna started shaking. I grabbed her hand. I couldn't take the silence and went to retrieve something; leaving the others to discuss what happened.

* * *

><p>"Orihime, I didn't know what she was going to do. Gomen."<p>

Byakuya looked between the ningen, "Higurashi is right. You must get over your inferiority of others. While I do not know what she speaks of, I do know she is correct."

"Shut up Kuchiki. Like you know anything, you snot nosed, spoiled, rich brat."

Byakuya glared at the bloodthirsty taichou, "I was raised to be the Head of the Kuchiki house. Do you think I would have made it where I am today if I felt inferior to others?"

Ikkaku looked at Orihime, "I may not know what makes you think that way, but Kagome is right, you need to get over it. It'll just eat you alive and turn you into something you'll regret in the long run."

None of them, save Yumichika, noticed Kagome standing against the wall clutching a bundle, "Higurashi-san, what is that?" He pointed to said bundle.

* * *

><p>I walked out and returned to my spot by Byakuya. When Orihime's attention was on me, I spoke quietly after putting up a small barrier, "You want to know why I'm telling you this?" At her 'yes,' I felt myself tear up, "Not long ago, I was in love with this one guy. I truly believed we were going to be together forever. Unfortunately, he was still hung up on his ex-girlfriend. There was some really bad blood between them. I'm not going to go into specifics, but she was almost killed." I forced myself to look at Ichigo so he knew I was trying to change my story, "She thought he was the one that tried to kill her, but we later found out that it was someone else. In her anger and what she believed were her last moments, she tried to kill him too."<p>

I started shaking and Byakuya put a hand on my shoulder. I leaned into his touch before continuing, "A few years later, I met…Inuyasha…" I hesitated saying his name. It still made me mad whenever I thought about what he had done. "You see me and…Kikyo…his ex, look exactly alike. After a bunch of drama, we became friends and I fell in love. When I say love, I don't mean that I had butterflies whenever I thought or talked about him. No, I mean, just the thought of being away from him made my chest physically hurt. It got to the point where I couldn't breathe if he wasn't around. He became my world, my life, and my all. He was the only thing that mattered, when it came to any type of romance.

"Everything had been going great until the day she came back and tried to kill him again. There was more drama and he made a suicide pact with her." The poor onna was horror struck. Even the Byakuya and the fighters couldn't believe what I was saying. "I thought she would let it go, but she didn't. She had tried several times to kill them both. Again, there was more drama, but in the end, he chose to be with me, at least that's what I thought. I was the happiest person in the world when he asked me to ma-marry him." I was shaking even more and Byakuya moved me closer to him. I couldn't help myself; I snuggled into him and held back as many tears as I could.

"She had disappeared for a really long time and we all thought that she had finally left him alone. I thought I was finally going to be with the guy I loved. Everyone told me that I was making a mistake. They told me he wasn't worth it, that I shouldn't go through with it, but I didn't listen. The night before our wedding, we were going to sleep together for the first time. Just before anything serious happens, he gets a call from _her_ and leaves me by myself. My friends were supposed to come over the next day to help me prepare for the wedding. To this day, I can't remember what happened after he left to when they found me.

"The reason they told me that it would never work out is because he never truly saw me, Kagome. All he saw was Kikyo. He would compare us on a daily basis; saying things like: she's prettier than me, she's stronger than me, she has more appeal than me. He used to call me a lazy, useless bitch that couldn't do a thing by herself and needed everyone to look out for her. He told me things like I wasn't even worth anyone's time and I should just go home and leave everyone alone because they would be better off without me. He said that he didn't understand why anyone would be interested in a fat, ugly, waste of flesh. He said the most horrible things to me. The only reason I fell in love with him is because there were times when he actually should me how much I mattered to him. How special I was. I later found out that he never saw me when his eyes showed me those things; he had been seeing Kikyo in my eyes. He was telling her those things, not me.

"His brother came, the next day, and took me away to live with him for a few months because his adapted daughter needed a mother figure and I was the only person he could tolerate to be around her and he felt I need to learn martial arts to be able to let out my frustration rather than keep it locked in all the time. I would spar and let the anger and hate out and be left with feeling at peace. Sesshoumaru-sama and one other person saved me when I had withdrawn so far into myself that there was no guarantee I would ever be the same. I saw Inuyasha six months later and couldn't bring myself to care about him. When he would get into trouble, instead of defending him like I used to, I just walked away and let his new _wife_ take care of him. She couldn't even get him out of trouble. Granted, no one trusted her so they would stay as far away from her as possible, but no one could bring themselves to care about him."

I looked her in the eye, "Don't make the same mistakes I did by thinking you aren't good enough or strong enough to do anything. If you aren't strong enough, then train yourself to be strong enough. If people don't think you're good enough, then tell them to go to Jigoku, because the only person who matters is you. If you feel insecure, tell yourself that you are ningen and that those small insecurities make you perfect just the way you are. As Sesshoumaru-sama once told me, 'It matters not the opinion of others, only you can determine your own worth. If you feel worthless then you must be because you have done nothing to change yourself. You need never prove yourself to others, the only person you must prove yourself to, is you.'" I shifted my eyes when I said those things and saw her aura getting blighter to the brightness that it should be.

I laughed to myself, "If you ever want to be around someone that will make you feel like shit, then let me know and I will call Sesshoumaru-sama. He can make the most proud of men cower like children and feel worthless. It's just one of his skills."

"Is he strong?" _Leave it to Ken-chan to catch that part of the story._

"I wouldn't fight him if I were you, Ken-chan. He would remove your head from your shoulders without you even noticing it happened. I've seen it before, so leave it alone." He scoffed and I rolled my eyes and released my miko-ki.

Orihime looked at my bundle, "What are those?"

I had completely forgotten them, "I'm a Miko." _No need to tell her that I'm a real Miko just yet._ "My family ancestors founded the Higurashi Shrine. Kikyo was a Miko from another Shrine." I held out the garments. "When we both put them on and stand side by side, we look like identical twins, except for our eyes. Inuyasha never let me wear them around him because he said I was dishonoring everything it meant to wear that garb." I gestured to garb she was holding. "Later, Sesshoumaru-sama had a special one made for me with his family's colors. A violet haori and indigo hakama. That's the one he had made for me. He said I shouldn't be tainted with the colors Inuyasha's bitch wears. He honored me with those colors. He has done so much for me that I don't think I'll ever be able to express my gratitude." I smiled and leaned further into Byakuya, grateful that he wasn't pushing me away.

She looked at me with a determined air, "Thank you. You really helped. Ano, did you find anything else, when you were looking?" She got shy once again and I knew she was just a shy person.

"Yeah, whatever they did, it affected your tamashii. You need to be careful because whatever it is will be set off. I can't change what they have done at the moment because it's pretty deep. Also, just because it's fresh doesn't mean it's weak. Sometimes it's the fresh things that are the strongest. For look out for that person and try to avoid them as much as possible. I might be able to do something as time goes on, but not now."

She nodded, "Well I have to get home, it's late and I have to make dinner." Ichigo stood up with her and offered to walk her home. This made her blush like crazy and I felt bad for her. I had heard the way he had talked about this Rukia person and knew she was the one he loved.

They left and I looked at the three fighters and raised an eye brow, "Don't you have places to go, people to find, others to bug?"

Ikkaku and Yumichika stood, "Yeah, we usually stay with a friend of Ichigo's. Taichou, do you have a place to stay?"

Said taichou scowled and I shook me head, "You can sleep on the couch of you promise not to kill Byakuya in his sleep. I'll even take the weight off you if you promise to behave." He gave a shark like grin and I felt like I was making a deal with the devil. I snapped my fingers, "Hold on."

I appeared with a spike collar that would fit him nicely and smirked as I put it on him. "Now, to think of a word. Ah, I know, Heel." The collar glowed in activation.

"What did you do?"

"It's an insurance policy. If you try anything, when I say that word, you and the ground get very well acquainted. In other words, behave or kiss dirt."

I took off the weight and put it back on, "Ah, that feels better. I feel weird without them on. Sort of like I'll be blown away." I giggled.

He sat up, "What the fuck. How much does that thing weigh?"

I put my finger under my chin, "I think its six hundred pounds. Sesshoumaru-sama put my on the strangest regiment. He nearly killed me twice a week with all the training he put me through. The man is evil, but I love him anyway. Sesshou-Aniki, although, I don't tell him that to his face. I wonder what his reaction would be." I shook myself out of my thoughts, "Behave and you can sleep on the couch." The two lackeys, I had no shame in calling them such, left and it was just the three of us. "I'm going to go out and get something to eat. Both of you behave. If there is a single thing wrong when I return, you are both going to be sorry, is that understood? Plus, Kirara will be here to make sure you don't do anything stupid, ne Kirara?" Kirara meowed when I used my sugary sweet smile that led people in a false sense of security and held back a grin as Byakuya paled and Kenpachi tried not to show fear.

* * *

><p>They watched as Kagome left them alone. "She kind of reminds me of Retsu, you know? How she looks so innocent and fragile, but hides something terrifying underneath."<p>

Byakuya could only nod. "My first night here, she told me her name. I wasn't about to use it and speak to someone below my station. She showed me got irritated like so many others and threatened to drag me out by the neck. I didn't believe her. Next thing I know, she shows that smile and latches onto my neck like a shark and does just as she said. We didn't make it very far as I grabbed her leg, but she made it seem like it was no problem at all."

The two taichou sat silently for a few minutes till Kenpachi got up and turned on the TV, just like he had seen once on one of his visits to the real world.

* * *

><p>I laughed to myself when I remembered the looks on their faces. I had ordered a few pizzas when I left and was on my way back from picking them up when I bumped into someone. "Ara, gomen. I didn't…" I looked up and saw a strange man with blue hair and even bluer eyes.<p>

"Ah?"

I got up and dusted myself before picking up the pizzas. I straightened up to the sight of the man's face in mine. "Ano, can I help you?"

He gave a neko like grin, "Yeah, do you know where I can get a place to sleep for the night?"

I took a step back as he straightened out, "Well, there is an empty apartment at the complex I'm living in. If you leave before the landlady wakes up, I'm sure you could sneak in there and sleep."

His grin grew and he moved aside so I could lead the way. "Ano, by the way, what's your name?"

He looked at me from the corner of his eye as he tucked his hands into his pockets.


	17. Chapter 17: Ugh

**A/N: My lovely readers, the poll is now closed! The winner of the poll is...drum roll please...KUCHIKI BYAKUYA!**

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><p><span>Chapter 17: Ugh<span>

I raised my eye brow, "You don't have to tell but I would like to know."

He smirked again, "Grimmjow. My name is Grimmjow."

I nodded and smiled, "Yoroshiku, Grimmjow-san. So why don't you have a place to stay?" I did my best not to be squeamish. The amount of reiatsu the man beside me was putting me on edge.

He looked forward, "I just came to town."

Glancing at him from the corner of my eye, I nodded, "Well, if you want breakfast tomorrow, knock on my door and I'll be more than happy to give you a warm breakfast, Grimmjow-san." He grinned and I couldn't help notice that he seemed very much a predator. "I'd offer you a place, but mine is a bit cramped with a few of my friends spending the night. I just hope they don't try to kill each other. Something I know they wouldn't have a problem with." I mumbled the last part but his chuckle told me he heard me.

"A warm breakfast sounds nice. Can't remember the last time I had one." His nostalgic expression looked very out of place on his sharp face. To me, he seemed like Kenpachi. They were bloodthirsty and violent when given the prospect of a good fight.

I shook my head trying to shake myself of my thoughts. It didn't help that he had a very dark and tainted aura; the same taint I once saw spreading over Ichigo. I shivered at the evil that was his aura. I saw him smirk as we walked up the stairs to the empty apartment, "My apartment is one level up directly on top of this one. Just knock, I'll be sure to have a warm breakfast around ten. Sorry for any racket you might hear. My friends don't get along very well." I smiled as I nodded and bid him good night and went home with my pizza.

I opened my door and found the two Shinigami taichou glaring hatefully at each other and an amused Kirara. "Do I want to know why there is so much hostility?" At Kenpachi's snort, I asked, "My home is still in one piece, right?" I looked at Kirara and asked, "They behaved right?" At Byakuya's indignant look, I sighed, "Whatever, I brought pizza." Kirara meowed happily and came to sit next to me. I smiled at her cuteness. At their confused looks, I rolled my eyes, "Well, I'm not cooking, so this is dinner. Be happy that I'm feeding you."

I wanted to laugh at Byakuya's look. It seems he wasn't used to being _told_ that he might not eat. Kenpachi, on the other hand, was eyeing the pizza like a starving inu. This time I did laugh. Grabbing one of the pizzas, I handed it to him and told him not to make a mess. Handing the second to Byakuya, I silently snickered at the lost look in his eyes. I couldn't believe he'd never had pizza before.

* * *

><p>When she handed him the second box, Byakuya was at a loss of what to do. He had been hungry, but had no idea how to open the box. Looking around, he was appalled. This was obviously supposed to be eaten by hand. The barbarity of such an act was unpleasant. How could people eat with their hands? It was just…<em>wrong.<em> He watched as Kagome opened her box after turning on the TV and started eating away.

Doing his best not to be disgusted by the idea of eating without chop sticks, he was pleasantly surprised at the taste of such food. While it was greasy, it seemed to add to the flavor. His surprise seemed to show through the widening of his eyes.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi wanted to snicker at the prissy prince's face. He was no stranger to eating with his hands. Growing up in the worst district in the Rukongai did that to a person. It's after he went to the Seireitei that his manners improved. Mainly because the old man was not about to have one of his taichou eating like a barbarian, or fighting like one.<p>

* * *

><p>I tried not to be obvious when I was watching both taichou eat. Byakuya looked resigned to his "unfortunate" fate of eating like a commoner and Kenpachi looked like he was in heaven. I set a few slices out for Kirara, making sure she got <em>all<em> the anchovies before I went to the kitchen and brought back a few cans of soda, a bowl of milk, and some napkins.

Watching both taichou trying to open the cans truly was a sight. Kenpachi looked like he was ready to smash the can and Byakuya…well; he was glaring at the poor, defenseless can. Snickering, I opened their cans for them and tried not to go into a full out laugh when those resentments were turned on me. Kirara had no such restraint as she gave an adorable koneko laugh.

Dinner had been extremely humorous for me and Kirara, sadly the two men joining us didn't think so.

* * *

><p>Byakuya waited till after dinner was finished before he satisfied his curiosity.<p>

He shared a look with Kenpachi, and then turned to me.

I tilted my head to the side in question.

He looked to be contemplating before he asked, "What happened in your dream last night?"

My eyes narrowed. "I don't believe that's any of your business."

Kenpachi smirked, "Ah, it's never anyone's business, but we need to know. If the prissy prince is right, then it's something we need to know."

I scoffed, "You didn't seem like the intrusive type Ken-chan. Maybe I was wrong." It was more a statement than a question.

"Your shit is your business, but this is something that even I need to know about." He looked so serious that I couldn't believe this was the same man I had to ambush.

Glancing between the two, I placed Kirara on my lap and prepared myself to answer their questions and placed a barrier around my apartment.

Bracing myself, I asked, "What do you need to know?"

Byakuya caught the look in my eyes and raised a brow, "I believe I made myself clear when I asked you this morning."

I fought the urge to throttle him. Apparently, Kenpachi caught that train of thought and smirked, "If it helps you to hit him, then go right ahead."

Byakuya glared at him, "Watch yourself, mongrel."

"Eh, you got something to say, brat?"

"Silence yourself, halfwit. If you were half as stupid as you are strong, you might be able to understand her. Although, seeing your level, you may never achieve a higher reasoning. Not that I can say it is a shame. The intelligence would be wasted on you." Byakuya looked extremely calm as he said all that with a straight face.

I didn't know what to say…all I knew was that I had to reinforce my barrier to withstand what I knew was about to happen. Whispering to Kirara, she scampered off to get what I asked for.

I watched as the two baka threw insults back and forth. The ire in Kenpachi's aura alerted me to what he was about to do. Satisfied with my barrier, I waited for him to stand before I unleashed hell.

"Heel." The choker glowed yellow before bringing him to kiss my floor.

"What the-" Kenpachi didn't know how to react.

Byakuya's eyes grew. Looking between me and Kenpachi, he started his insulting, completely missing as an amused Kirara brought me a rosary.

Silently chanting, I grinned as they were too focused on each other to notice both the tiny flare of my miko-ki and the beads shooting to rest on Byakuya's neck.

Mumbling to myself, Kirara jumped on my shoulder to get a front row seat to the mayhem that might ensure. I stole a glance at her and couldn't help but give a radiant smile. She shook her little head and meowed.

Kenpachi finally managed to get to his feet and he threw a murderous glare at me and went to lunge at the arrogant man I couldn't help but start falling for. I frowned at the thought of falling for him.

"Heel." Kenpachi was reintroduced to a new best friend.

Byakuya allowed his smirk to come out, "It seems you are finally where you belong. The floor suits you. It is a shame you aren't always there."

I smirked, "Down." I couldn't help the snicker that escaped me when I had been trying hard to cover my laugh. Byakuya kissing the floor was just priceless!

"Onna," he began.

I stopped laughing, "Do you need me to repeat that word or are you going to call my name?"

"Kagome." His voice was strained; like he couldn't decide to drop the noble act and curse at me, pain from the impact, or from the sheer anger at what I had done to his person.

I smiled, "Yes, Byakuya-chan?" I decided on the latter.

"What have you done?" He gritted out as he tried to push himself off the floor.

"Yeah, what the hell, Higurashi!" Kenpachi was still struggling against the spell.

"Ah, yes. I told you, _behave or kiss dirt_ did I not? As for you, Byakuya-chan, didn't I say I would do the same to you?" I sat back as Kirara jumped into my lap and began to purr. "Right, Kirara. Men just don't listen. I think it's the testosterone." She meowed, causing me to giggle.

When they were finally able to stand, they both sent me murderous glares that were as scaring as Shippou when he was still a small kit. "Oh, sit down," Byakuya was reacquainted with the floor and I didn't bother to apologize, " and don't get your hakama in a twist." His glare was even more intense, but I still thought he was as intimidating as my chibi-Shippou.

Seeing no other choice, they complied. My expression grew grim as I remembered what they had asked me. "Now what were you asking?"

"Wait, before you answer, I've been wondering…how is it you can see us in the first place? Normal ningen aren't supposed to be able to see us."

I blinked and blinked again, "Yeah, Renji told me the same thing not too long ago. I have a high level of reiatsu. Seeing and touching you is the same as me talking and holding Kirara." My brows furrowed, "Come to think of it, my friends from Tokyo don't have any spiritual awareness. How do you think they were able to see you?"

Kirara meowed as she pawed at my chest.

"What's wrong?"

She continued to paw my chest and I realized that she was touching the same spot that the Tama had embedded itself, "You don't think?"

She meowed again. I nodded, "That makes sense. A defense mechanism, ne? It makes sense if the thing is stuck with me forever." She meowed in affirmation.

"Kagome."

Hearing my name fall from his lips made my heart flutter. I didn't want to break that by asking when he started calling me by my name. Instead, I opted for nodding. "What makes sense?"

I studied the two men sitting in my living room. "Can I trust you?"

It hurt to ask that question. These two men answered to someone else. They weren't like Ichigo. They answered to a man that was far too set in his ways. Ichigo had always done what he believed was right. This was why I knew I could trust him with my story. These men weren't the same.

* * *

><p>Byakuya felt hurt at the question she asked. He didn't know why, but it hurt deep inside that she felt she couldn't trust him. He frowned at his train of thought. He shouldn't care if she could trust him or not. He needed information and she was with holding it. He would do whatever it took to get that information. That thought sent even more pain through his heart. He couldn't comprehend why the idea of lying to her made his chest hurt. He didn't like the pain nor the guilt associated with those thoughts.<p>

He promised himself then and there that she would be able to trust him. While he hardly knew her, he knew that she had been through too much disloyalty, deception, and pain for him to want to contribute. Byakuya remembered the haunted look in her eyes and he didn't want to add to the mix.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi looked at the little onna sitting across from him. He recognized her aura immediately. It was filled with death and pain. He knew she had overcome something horrible to become what she is today. He wasn't one to tell other's secrets. If they didn't want others to know, he had no business spreading it around. "I already told you didn't I? 'Your shit is your business.' Just because you tell me doesn't mean I'm going to spread it around. I'm a private person. I may do a lot of things, but spilling others' secrets is not one of them."<p>

* * *

><p>Byakuya nodded, "I need the information, but I will not partake in the ignoble act of deceiving you and being dishonest."<p>

* * *

><p>I smiled sadly at their answers, but knew it wasn't enough. "Would you give me an oath to keep my secrets? You would put yourself at my mercy and the mercy of another should you break that oath?"<p>

The taichou looked stupefied. Finally, one of the managed to speak, "How would you go about securing this oath?"

I looked at the stoic man that I new was capturing my heart, no matter how much I was fighting it. "The same way any of my kind would. You both know I am a Miko. I would use that to bind your oaths."

I scrutinized them closely, "You answer to another, just as I do, but the man I answer to is not someone I would anger lightly. By telling you my story, I must tell you about him. Will you allow me to bind you? Are you willing to answer to yet another to get the answers to your questions?"

I observed as Kenpachi smirked and gave a nod. I could tell this made him more curious than anything. Byakuya, on the other hand, was more cautious than before.

"It is curious that you ask us to give you an oath. One would question as to why."

Kenpachi rolled his eyes. "Kuchiki, there are times when people worry for their safety. There are secrets in this world that are meant to stay secret. It is the unfortunate few that learn these secrets that are burdened with keeping them."

Both of us looked at the violent man sitting not a few feet from us, speechless. Never in a million years would we have thought him capable of saying something that…that…_wise_.

Byakuya was the first to break the silence, "Zaraki…I didn't know you had it in you."

Kenpachi scoffed, "I hate talking like that, it makes me sound like you."

I snorted, only Kenpachi can turn being intelligent into an insult. Before the fighting began, I spoke, "That doesn't answer my question; although, Ken-chan is right. My secret is one you wouldn't believe. Would you give me your oath? Ken-chan has already agreed, the question is, will you?"

I studied his eyes as he battled with himself. Nodding he came to a conclusion, "What needs to be done?"

I smiled, "Hold my hands and answer to my conditions." I held out my hands. I tried not to glow at the thought of hold his hand. He was so aloof sometimes.

When his skin came into contact with mine, I tried not to shiver and gasp at the electricity that seemed to run through that arm and down my spine. I felt myself getting giddy and heard the Tama's call ring.

Letting go I cried out and clutched my head. Flinging myself to a wall, I fell to my knees.

* * *

><p>Kirara immediately knew what was happening. Jumping in front of her mistress, she hissed at the two men attempting to get to her. She had been grateful that her mistress had a fairly plain living room. It meant she was allowed to be in her larger form without any trouble.<p>

When they tried to get closer, she transformed and hissed at the two men that wouldn't listen to her.

* * *

><p>I was pulled into the recesses of my tamashii. The pain had been unbearable, but I was grateful that Kirara had stopped them.<p>

I blacked out and found myself in the same place that my dream had led me to; only, this time, it wasn't just me and the Hi no Tori. Midoriko was standing next to him.

"Musume, it seems you have been well." She didn't look as tired and battle worn as the first time I saw her.

"Okaa-sama. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" I looked at the tori and back at Midoriko.

She smiled, "The man who makes your heart soar, who is he?"

I tilted my head to the side. That was not the question I was expecting. "Kuchiki, Byakuya? What of him?"

The giant tori laughed, "He is the Taichou of the sixth squad of the Gotei 13, head of the Kuchiki House, and apparently holder of the heart that belongs to the little one before us."

Midoriko nodded and looked at me with amusement. "I like him. He brings out a light in you that I have not felt in too long a time."

I was lost; completely and totally lost. "I don't get it. Not to sound mean, or anything, but you made me feel like my head was going to explode…for this?"

Midoriko chuckled, "That is not the only reason we have called you. Although, I think he would make a lovely mate for you."

I choked. "Ma-ma-ma-you can't be serious? I can't mate! Youkai mate. Ningen marry." I continued to sputter so bad that I couldn't ask why I was here.

"Calm yourself child, it need not be now." Midoriko looked extremely amused.

"Bu-bu-bu-but…it's _him._ And…and…and, well, you know. Not only that, he's leaving in a couple of days. What, am I supposed to follow him?" Okay, yes, I sounded like a winy, little brat, but this was just too much!

The tori chuckled, "It is amusing, my little one, that you would admire him from afar, yet when given the chance you would not take action."

"Hey! What are you laughing at that for? This isn't funny!" I just couldn't believe what they were telling me. It didn't make sense.

"Musume, relax yourself. You know that you will not live like a normal ningen. You are the eternal guardian of the Shikon no Tama. While there have been many a Shikon no Miko. You are _the_ Shikon no Miko in every way. We have chosen you as our Guardian for as long as we have power. While you have incredible strength and power, you will need someone to love, cherish, and protect you."

I couldn't tell whether I wanted to bang my head against the wall or hers…or maybe that damn tori that looked at me with more amusement that I cared to give at the moment. "And I can't find someone else, because~? I mean, once he leaves, I'm never going to see him again." _There, maybe they'll leave me alone about the whole boyfriend/mate thing._

"Kagome, he would be good for you. You will live for extremely long time. He will live just as long as you. Think about it?"

I looked at the Bushi no Miko that was the first Miko. "You can't be serious? I mean, Byakuya-chan, really?" I fell on my knees to the floor in disbelief. "I admit that I like the guy, but, for all I know, he could be married with children." I felt a headache coming on. "Can we please talk about why you really called me here?"

The silence was deafening. "Kagome, you need to learn my name quickly. There are things awakening that should best be left asleep. You would need my power, your power, to defeat what is coming."

I panicked, "No, no, no, no! This isn't supposed to be happening. I'm supposed to be living a peaceful life not worrying about good and evil and things like that. I was supposed to leave that stuff back in the Sengoku Jidai."

The tori went behind her and engulfed her in his wings. Making a calming noise, deep in his chest, he did his best to sooth the distraught Miko. "It seems we need more tact. Come, little one, I know this is difficult. Think of it as another adventure." I looked up at him, as he continued, "My only regret is that I was not able to be with you when you went to the past. This time it will be different. This time we have each other and you will be able to wield me long before the time has come."

I nodded. Trying to ease the tension I created, I mumbled, "I'm still not going to mate Byakuya-chan."

They both chuckled, "Oh, I don't know, musume, I think you will." Her parting words and giggles made me glare at her fading form, "You shall see. Name your first musume after me, ne, Kagome-chan?"

I gazed into the eyes of the Fushichou above me, "Is there any chance you might want to tell me your name?" I asked as I turned and hugged him.

He chuckled again, "*******."

I frowned, "I heard it, but it was too low to actually make out."

"You are getting closer to my name. That is good, my little Miko. It is time for you to return, my little one."

* * *

><p>To say Byakuya and Kenpachi were surprised was an understatement. The moment Kirara transformed, they went on the defensive. Trying to get passed the giant saber tooth was impossible. She was not letting either of them get to the fallen onna.<p>

They had given up after fifteen minutes of being hissed, swiped, and bitten at. Kenpachi somehow relaxed when a blue light encompassed Kagome. He knew it was the same power that he witnessed when he first met them.

Byakuya, on the other hand, wasn't as "accepting" as Kenpachi. His tension grew when she was encompassed. When the violent taichou put his hand on his shoulder, Byakuya swung his hand out of a reflex he couldn't understand.

"Calm down. She's fine."

Byakuya's glare grew, "How can you be so sure? What have you to ay about the animal protecting her?"

Kirara roared when he called her an animal.

"See, it could be dangerous."

Kenpachi gave his shark like grin, "Oh, I have no doubt she is, but she is _protecting_ Kagome from _us_. Kirara is quite intelligent and I don't think she appreciates you calling her an animal."

Kirara meowed. "See. And if I didn't know any better, I would say you have a crush on the little Miko."

* * *

><p>Kagome groaned as she came to, "Did anyone catch with train just plowed through me?"<p>

Not hearing a response, she shook her head as the pain receded. "Silence may be golden, but I would prefer to know what's happening."

* * *

><p>Kirara roared and padded over to her mistress. "It's okay, Kirara, it was just, Okaa-sama." She scratched Kirara's large head, causing her to purr. "What happened while I was out?" Kirara gave a tiny roar and she glared at Byakuya. "You didn't have to insult her, you know. She never did anything to you. In fact, I recall her spending more time with you than she did with me."<p>

Both Shinigami looked at her, "She told me. You can at least apologize. She's extremely intelligent. You shouldn't judge her just because she is a neko."

Byakuya mumbled an apology, knowing that he might not make it out in one piece if he didn't.

Kirara shrunk to her compact size and meowed happily that her mistress was okay…and that she got her apology.

* * *

><p>"Both of you go to sleep. We've had a late night and I have to get up early in the morning if you want breakfast."<p>

I cleared up the living room and pulled out the bed from the couch thankful that I had bought one. "Give me a couple minutes to get you a pillow and some blankets." Before either of them had a chance to say anything else, I was gone.

I came back to find both men at each other's throats…literally. "Heel, Down." I gave a chuckle at the sound of them hitting my floor. I was thankful my barrier hadn't dissipated. "What happened this time?"

When neither of them answered, I looked at Kirara, who just shook her head. "Men." I mumbled under my breath. When they finally got up, I pointed at Byakuya, "You go to your room. If either of you want to shower, there are plenty of towels." I glanced between the two, "You'll behave, right? I mean, you wouldn't wake me up, right?" I gave that innocent smile and saw them fight shivers and nod. "Good," I chirped. "If you'll excuse me, me and Kirara are going to take a quick shower, ne?" She meowed when she landed on my shoulder.

* * *

><p>After my shower, I saw Kenpachi waiting for me to get out, "I've been wondering; earlier you said your friends from Tokyo have no spiritual awareness, how were they able to see Byakuya if he doesn't have a gigai?"<p>

I studied the man before me and sensed that Byakuya was in his room, "Would you allow me to bind your oath?"

He grinned, "Go ahead."

I held out my hand, "Before you grab my hand, know that you are willing to bind yourself to my and one other. By grabbing my hand, you are promising to keep my secrets. You are agreeing to the conditions I'm going to set. I know you live for danger, but this isn't something anyone should mess with, so I'm telling you this is dangerous. Once you do this, there is no going back." I paused. "Think carefully before either of you make this decision."

Byakuya walked out of his room as I held out my other hand. When they both grabbed my hands, I looked at both of them and led them back into the living room, never once letting go of their hands.

"Now that you have accepted, you will _never _be able to tell any being what I am about to tell without the express permission of myself or Sesshoumaru-sama, my Alpha. You will never be able to leave any type of record of what I am about to tell you. It will automatically be erased by my miko-ki and it will bind you into silence. It will see what you have done as an act of aggression and alert both myself and Sesshoumaru-sama. We will track you down; should you be in Soul Society when this happens, it will open a portal for us to be brought to you. Any outside interference will be dealt with accordingly. You will be dealt with as any traitor would. You will be bound as confidants to This One should you accept the responsibility." I sat straight and looked each one in the eye, "Do you accept to be put at the mercy of This One and her Alpha should you break the vow of silence and confidence she places in you?"

Kenpachi answered first, "This One places himself at the mercy of Higurashi, Kagome and her Alpha should he break his vow of silence and confidence."

Byakuya looked at Kenpachi and couldn't believe what he had said. He sounded so formal and so unlike the blood thirsty taichou he was used to, he was speechless. Shaking himself he answered, "This One places himself at the mercy of Higurashi, Kagome and her Alpha should he break his vow of silence and confidence."

I felt my miko-ki flare and do the same thing as with my friends; except for Byakuya. Instead of burrowing into his body and to his tamashii, it burrowed on the body I saw before me. I waited for my miko-ki to implant itself into their cores. Once it did, I smiled, "I'll answer your questions tomorrow. For now, I'm trying not to pass out." Just before I turned to the hall, I said happily, "Good night, guys."

* * *

><p>When Kenpachi reached the same spot Kagome had, Byakuya's question stopped him from going further. "How did you know how to answer?"<p>

He smirked, "I ran into her once and saw what she could do. I had Yumichika do some research and I found out she was a Miko. Not just a figure, but a true Miko. He found almost nothing about them except that their rituals are extremely formal. I figured it was easy to repeat her question the same way she asked it. Just don't mention it to anyone; not that they would believe you anyway."

Byakuya had a lot to think about, "Go shower and make it quick. I'm next and I refuse to have to wait on you. Try not to make a mess you ugly mongrel."

Kenpachi snickered and left.

Byakuya's feet took him to her room and he had no idea how he got there. True her room was right next to his, but he didn't understand what prompted him to go there. When he saw the door open and Kirara walk out he bent down and studied the strange neko.

Kirara, frustrated that he wasn't doing anything, went behind him and pushed him into her room. Closing the door, she transformed and pushed him on the large bed beside the little Miko that was her mistress. Satisfied that he landed right next to Kagome, she laid down directly in front of the door, knowing that he wouldn't be able to move her.

When he tried to get up, she hissed quietly so as not to wake her tired mistress. The mini war went on for five minutes before he got the message to stay on the bed. Unable to fight the fatigue any longer, he promptly passed out.

Now, Kirara, being the creative neko that she is, managed to get him under the blankets and observed as they naturally curled around each other. Thrilled with her work, she curled up by the door to make sure he couldn't escape and Kenpachi couldn't intrude on her match making.

Oh, Kirara knew exactly how her mistress felt. She scented the arousal coming from both of them, even if neither were are of it. Now all she had to do was wake up before either of them, to see the aftermath of her matchmaking. Honestly, this pair was harder to match than her former mistress, Sango, and the Houshi, Miroku.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Wow, naughty Kirara! I am soooooooo sorry that this took so long! I really am! I had writer's block and when I finally managed to get an idea, I think it turned into a jumbled mess. Please tell me what you think! Review! It makes us writers feel loved! I hope you like this chapter. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!**

**Koneko:** Kitty/Kitten


	18. Chapter 18: What the Hell

Chapter 18: What the Hell

Now Kirara knew she was going to get an earful from her mistress, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her mistress deserved to be happy and she'd be damned if she didn't get her happiness. Did she think this was a ridiculous idea? Maybe. Did she see any other options? None. Did that mean it was going to keep her from doing it? Not in the slightest.

She had a wonderful sleep; patiently waiting for her mistress to awaken to the deed she had done.

Kirara had woken when the sun rose; she knew it was only a matter of time before her mistress had woken and she wasn't disappointed.

* * *

><p>Byakuya hadn't slept this peacefully in a long time. It had been since Hisana that he'd been able to rest properly and comfortably. He'd known that he should have fought to return to his room, but he also knew that that neko was stubborn. She wasn't about to relent after what she had done. It had been fifty long years since he'd shared a bed with anyone.<p>

He had forgotten how great it felt to hold someone when sleeping. Byakuya's mind was still a little fuzzy. He had remembered exactly what happened; meaning, he couldn't remember how he had gotten under her blankets and curled around the little Miko next to him. He knew it was the work of that blasted neko! None-the-less, he was going to stay like this for as long as possible.

It was his only chance to hold her. While he didn't know where those thoughts and wants came from, he only knew that he wanted to hold her. This was it. This was his last day to be able to ignore his station, his rank, his being, and just Kuchiki Byakuya, the man.

Holding Kagome; he was a man holding a woman that captured his heart and warmed his cold life. After this, it was all over. He would return to his life of duty and station. He didn't know when it began, only that it did.

Mind still muddled with sleep, he burrowed his nose further into her neck, bringing her closer to him, not noticing her stiffen, and allowed himself to drift back into blissful sleep.

* * *

><p>That night when I went to sleep, I was not expecting for a very good looking man to push me into the well in my soul. I did the only sensible thing, I screamed.<p>

"Ahhhhh!" I never felt a thud, but noticed I had stopped falling. Looking around I saw a bunch of large tamas. In fact, they looked like exact replicas of the Shikon no Tama, only on a larger scale.

I heard a chuckle and looked at the man who pushed me, "You find this amusing?"

"In many ways." His voice was deep and sultry; a voice I recognized.

"Ah!" I pointed at him.

That chuckle was familiar, "My little one, why are you so surprised?"

I couldn't say anything…yup…nothing came to mind. In fact, I was so out of it, I didn't even put my hand down.

I watched as he came and grabbed my hand pulling me to his chest. I felt at home, peaceful, and just plain safe. I snuggled into his chest and felt him chuckle.

"Come now little one, there is no time." Looking up, I was surprised when he turned me around by my shoulders, "There are many tama here, but only one contains me." With a gentle nudge, he continued, "I am out there. You know how to sense energies better than most. Feel for the one that _is me_. You will recognize it easily. Don't forget to call my name." He smiled and nudged just a little harder.

"And how am I supposed to find _you_?" I gave him a pointed look. Seeing as he was just standing there, smiling, I huffed and turned around.

Closing my eyes, I felt my miko-ki drift into them. Opening my eyes, I saw white ribbons everywhere. I sighed and looked around. I began walking; feeling for my savior.

Something made me stop. In front of me were two ribbons; one red ribbon on my right and one orange ribbon on my left. I looked between the two and asked, "How will I know which one to pick?"

"You have little time left, my little one."

I watched as one tama after another began disappearing. Cursing under my breath, I pulled the orange ribbon, "Soukyoku, stop being stubborn, damn it!" With one final tug, a katana hilt appeared. Groaning, I positioned my feet just right and pulled so hard, I flew into Soukyoku.

To his chuckling, I turned. "You think that's funny?"

"No, my little one. I find you quite humorous." He brought me into a tight hug. When he released me, we were in front of the koi pond. "Any questions, little one?"

I looked at his face. A young, sun kissed face surrounded by bright red, orange, and yellow hair. It fell against the sides if his face, while half of it was pulled back into pony tail. The loose hair was intertwined with long feathers from the Fushichou. He had the same eyes that shone like the sun. On his forehead was a small sphere the same as his eyes that had triangles acting like rays from the sun.

I took in the rest of him. He was wearing a layered kimono. The outer layer was crimson red and each layer underneath was lighter and transitioned till the last was a pale yellow. Fushichou were stitched into the top layer and looked as if they were flying on the sun. Around his neck was a pendant that looked just like his other form; wings spread, as if in flight, its head looking to the sky, and its long tail feathers trailed and formed a point at their ends.

I couldn't help it, I smiled and hugged him. Again, I felt him chuckle and relished in the sound. "So, your name is Soukyoku?" I felt the rumble in his chest and smiled even more.

"My little one, is that all you have to ask me?"

I looked up at him, "Well, I'm not really sure what to ask. I thought I'd have tons of questions, but now that we're here, I can't think of any."

He took me to a bench by the pond and sat down, gesturing me to join him. "Fear not, you have no Shinigami blood in you. I know not why we are as such, but we are and that is all that matters."

"What does that mean for me, us, now?"

"We train. That is all we can do for now. You must get accustomed to wielding me and using my power. Next chance you get, go to the man named Urahara, Kisuke and tell him you wish to train. Make it known that you wish to train alone. No one must know that I have not been destroyed. It will bring about many problems for you and I will not have that."

I frowned, "Why? It's not that I won't do it, it's just…why do I have to? Why can't I train with Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"The pup will not be able to help you. If it comes to it, ask Kisuke to train you, but make sure he doesn't speak of it."

I sighed, "When should I start training?"

He pulled me to his side, "When your Shinigami leaves, go to Kisuke and ask him to train. If he refuses, simply tell him you will find your own way into his under ground room." He laughed at the look I gave him, "Yes, he does have one and it is rather remarkable."

He looked at something I couldn't see and had a look on his face that I didn't like, "Now, I think it is time for you to return. Enjoy your sleep, my little Miko."

I returned and felt something warm against my back. Not even thinking about what it was, I snuggled further into the warmth and sighed blissfully. When I felt something nuzzle my neck, I stiffened. I swallowed slowly as I felt an arm tighten around my stomach. I put a hand on the foreign appendage and felt it tighten even more.

I felt wanted. I knew it was Byakuya behind me when I sensed Kirara by the door, and I felt loved by my adorable neko and, most importantly, I felt loved by the man holding me. I put my arm over his and felt myself slip into darkness with a smile on my face.

* * *

><p>I snuggled into Byakuya and sighed happily, only to have my eyes fly open. I turn and looked behind me and saw he had his eyes closed. Trying not to freak out, I managed to get out of bed without disturbing him and glared at the Kirara. My glare only hardened at her smug and amused expression. Grabbing clean clothes, I walked to the other side of the room and changed.<p>

Once again glaring at my neko, I put my hands on my hips and watched as she silently returned to her chibi form. Even in her koneko form, I saw that smug look and bit back a growl. Picking her up, I left my room, doing my best to not disturb Byakuya, and went to the kitchen. I set Kirara on the counter and went about making breakfast. When hers was finished, I held the plate and demanded an explanation. She just meowed and looked cute and totally innocent, knowing I wouldn't be able stay mad at her. Sighing, I relented and put her plate on the counter next to her and made the table for the five of us.

The clock on my stove read 9:50 and my eye twitched. Stalking into my living room, I was Kenpachi stretching. When he caught sight of me, he gave me a grin Miroku would be proud of. Twitching, I pointed to the dining room and shook my head. We both entered the room and saw Byakuya standing by the table.

"Have a good night, Kuchiki?" The implied tone in his voice made me want to punch him; instead, I opted for smacking the back of his head.

Byakuya looked at the man beside me, "Did you? After all, you slept on the couch like an animal."

A knock at the door caused both men to look at me, "Not a word out of either of you or you'll find out why people don't like it when I get mad."

At snicker from Kenpachi, I made sure he wasn't around my furniture and muttered a tiny "heel" while I answered the door. A huge smile made its way to my face, while a confused one presented itself on my guest's, when we heard a thud inside. "Hi, did you have a good night?" I asked as I moved aside to let him in.

He grinned and put his face next to my ear, "It would have been better if I'd have had company."

My mouth opened slightly, "Careful, someone might take that as an invitation."

I snapped it shut and he grinned even more. Narrowing my eyes, I smacked his arm and led him to the dining room to the sound of his chucking. I was _not_ prepared for the chaos that was about to happen.

The two taichou were glaring at each other from across the table with Kirara in between, completely ignoring them as she at her food. It was when I brought their attention to me and Grimmjow that all hell broke loose.

They pushed themselves from their seats and got into defensive positions. Byakuya grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him. _Oh, no he didn't. I can handle myself! What the hell is their problem?_

"What the hell?" I pulled away from the both then walked to Grimmjow. Looking between men, I felt the resentment and hatred make a tense atmosphere. "What's going on?"

Grimmjow kept grinning, "Well now, isn't this a surprise." Glancing between the two taichou, he continued, "Thought you left me for dead, didn't you, Zaraki Kenpachi?"

Kenpachi sneered, "So you didn't die. Well, it seems I just have to make sure you do this time around."

I put my fingers to my temples and began massaging till I found a small weight on my shoulder. Seeing Kirara, I sighed, "No, I don't." Returning my gaze to my taichou, my eye twitched. _He isn't mine._ "You didn't answer my question: what's going on?"

"Remember what you saw Abarai fighting not too long ago?" At my nod, Byakuya continued, "Given enough time, _he_ is what they evolve into after consuming enough souls and more hollows."

I almost got whiplash at how fast I turned to face Grimmjow. _That explains all the death surrounding him; it's not all him_. "What?"

Grimmjow shrugged, "When the Zaraki and Ichigo left me for dead, I, somehow, got thrown here. I was given new body. A _ningen_ body. I don't have to feed off souls anymore. I'm as ningen as your gigai. I still have all my power from being an Espada, I'm just _not_ anymore. I don't know if that makes sense." He seemed lost in thought.

"Are there anymore?" We all turned to Byakuya.

"No, you killed everyone else. I was _left for dead_, not actually _killed_, that's how I survived. It's strange being _alive_ again. It's been a long time since I was alive." He got that far away look people got when they were reminiscing, or at least trying to.

I clapped, "Now that that is settled, can we please eat?" At the looks on the taichou' faces, I sighed. "Would it make you feel better if I gave one to him?"

They shared a look and got a wicked gleam in their eyes. It was rather unnerving. "Oi, Higurashi, now your talking."

I deadpanned, "Kirara, please?" She meowed and went to get another one.

I shook my head as I thought about how many kotodama I had. I had made a lot when the hanyou made me break the first three from the sheer number of times I sat him.

When I saw Kirara emerge from the room, I met her right outside the dining room. Silently chanting, I thought of a word. Finding none that I would be able to use that wouldn't be used on a daily basis, I remembered a word I'd heard in Spanish.

"What the fuck?" He asked, holding up the kotodama with his thumbs.

"Alto." I giggled as it flared, accepting the command.

He whirled around and looked at me, "What did you do?"

I tried not to laugh, "Just so the three of you know, no matter how hard you try it won't ever come off."

I watched smugly as all three went into shock. I started snickering as they pulled and struggled to get them off, only to have them glow and stay in their places.

"Kagome." I smiled innocently as Byakuya, making him scoff. "Remove this."

"Byakuya-chan," the other two snickered, "I can't do that! It wouldn't be fair! Ne, Kirara?"

She meowed and jumped on his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek. She then jumped to the table and began eating.

"She has the right idea. Let's eat!" I completely ignored everyone else, sat down, and enjoyed my food. When Byakuya took his seat next to me, I fought a blush as I thought about last night. That made me glare at Kirara, who ate her food in favor of ignoring me completely; even if she knew I was doing it.

Kenpachi and Grimmjow, begrudgingly, took their seats and joined us.

When Grimmjow saw me blushing, he grinned, "Have a good night, did you, Ka-Go-Me?" I almost choked on my food, making his grin worse, "Do tell. What did you do last night that has you so flustered?" At Kenpachi's snickered, he looked pointedly at Byakuya, "Or should I be asking _who_ did you do?"

This time, I did choke. When I finally caught my breath, I glared at the man in front of me. I felt my eye and fingers twitch, "Don't make me hurt you. It's too early in the morning for me to have to worry about buying a new dining set."

He raised a damnable eye brow, "Now, now, Ka-Go-Me, no need to be so violent." He made Kenpachi snicker again.

"Keep it up and you'll find out just what that kotodama does." I glared at Kenpachi, "And you, Ken-chan, will be reunited with your new best friend."

It was my turn to snicker at Kenpachi's glare and Byakuya's turn to snicker. "That reminds me, how _did_ you get into my room?"

It was his turn to glare at Kirara, "She pushed me in and wouldn't let me out."

Kirara looked up at us innocently and that just made her look all the more smug and guilty. "Kirara…" She meowed, "Do I even want to know?"

She meowed and gave a good impression of a shrug and I felt my eye twitch. _That seems to be happening a lot lately._ "What do you mean by that?"

She gave a koneko snort, and I tried not to shriek. "That is so wrong, you know that." She rolled her eyes and went back to her food, thus ending the discussion. "Oooo. Not cool."

Grimmjow laughed out of nowhere, "Wow, that's sad, Kagome."

"I don't need you to tell me. She did the same thing to some friends of mine! Granted, they were being dense, but this isn't the same thing!"

He didn't stop, "Of course not, that's why she's sitting back _doing nothing_."

"You know what?" I got out of my seat and pulled him out of his and led him into the hall. Satisfied that he wouldn't break anything, I walked a few feet away and crossed my arms and created a small barrier under him. "Alto." The kotodama glowed and forced him to the floor with an impressive thud. I huffed and walked away with as much dignity as I could muster.

I tuned him out as he cursed up a storm in my hallway. I was just about to sit down when my door bell rang.

Everyone got quiet and looked at me. I shrugged and watched as Kirara went to answer the door. She returned with Ayumi, Eri, and Ginta and I had to wonder, _how the hell did she open the door?_

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><p><strong>AN: My dear readers, I hope you enjoyed your holidays! This chapter was an interesting one to write. Now, Kirara is just naughty! That girl! She knows she can get away with her cuteness! :] I hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Milkshake-sama was watching me the whole time, making sure I stayed on track. Thank you Milkshake-sama! As I said before, my poll is closed and this is the budding of her romance. Let's give Kirara a round of applause for making our hopes a reality! If it weren't for her, the voters would have had to jump into the story and force those two together themselves! Please review!**

**Alto: **Spanish for Stop and High...in this case, I'm using it for "stop."


	19. Chapter 19: Now We're Talking

**A/N: I would like to give a great big THANK YOU to EverRose808 and ForgottonOncePromised for their help in the making of this chapter and others who have helped along the way! I had to change the rating, so I hope none of you are offended by suggestive themes. If you are, well, skip the first part of the flashback. I'm not sure if I can write lemons or not, seeing as I'm not going to write one this chapter…it's purely suggestive. I did NOT, I repeat, NOT steal this! I changed my name because I got tired of my old one. I am Demented Demonic Inu Banshee…I just got tired of the name!**

Chapter 19: Now We're Talking

I looked between the new arrivals and watched at Ginta kept twitching with side glances at Ayumi. My first guests seemed to get antsy with such an old predator so close. I sighed, "What's up? Take a seat and ignore Mr. Blue Man on the floor and make yourselves at home." I got up from my seat and smiled as a new string of well thought out and colorful curses came from the floor behind my friends. I held back a laugh at the girls' blushing.

Eri nodded and dragged Ayumi to the counter behind me and started getting breakfast, "Hey, Kagome, did you know we were coming?" She gestured to the pan.

"Nope. I just didn't know how much Mr. Blue Man and-" I looked at Kenpachi and smiled innocently, "-Ken-chan ate. Ken-chan, I have a question."

He looked at me slowly and inched away, "Ah."

My innocent smile grew, "Is Ikkaku seeing anyone?" I held back a snicker when I heard Eri suck in her breath. I felt Byakuya tense beside me and did everything I could to not reach out and assure him that it wasn't for me that I was asking.

Kenpachi grinned, "Now why would you want to know that?"

I scoffed, "Sorry, but Q-Ball is _so_ not my type. Right, Eri?" I heard her do a rather impressive impression of a growl and saw Ginta's eyes widen.

"Kagome, I thought I told you to keep quiet?"

It was Ginta who answered, "You don't know Nee-san very well. She _never_ does what she's told."

"Hey!" I shouted indignantly.

"That sounds about right." Said a straight faced Kenpachi.

I felt a chill go up my spine as Kirara went back to eating. I looked over Ginta's shoulder and met the angry eyes of Grimmjow. I smiled brightly at him. "Don't ever do that again."

I scoffed, "Haven't you been listening? I _never_ do what I'm told."

As his reiatsu spiked, the two Shinigami jumped from their seats and took defensive positions around us. "Didn't take you long, _Espada_."

"That onna is gonna remove this _thing_, _now_."

I felt myself getting irritated. Flaring my miko-ki, I watched as Ginta jumped back and rubbed his arms, Byakuya and Kenpachi tensed and shifted nervously at the raw purity of my aura, and Grimmjow fell to his knees under its weight. "I don't like fighting. Especially, in my home. Now are you going to act civilized, or are you going to act like a barbarian?" I hadn't even noticed my friends lose consciousness.

He growled out a 'fine' and went back to his seat when everything seemed to calm down.

Ginta gave a small yip to catch my attention and I ran to his side when I finally noticed my friends. I picked up Eri and told him to follow me with Ayumi. He blushed, despite the situation, and nodded. I looked at the three men and told them to stay. I glanced at Kirara so she knew that I wanted her to keep them away.

Once in my room, we placed them under the sheets and I let out a breath. "At least it's only because they couldn't handle the pressure. Nothing's wrong other than that, but I'm going to need to make them something so they can stand being around us all the time." At his nod, I lead him out of the room and back to the dining room, "So why are you here? Not that I don't mind the company, but I doubt that's why you're here."

Ginta sighed, "I admire and love my pack and Alpha, but I'm getting tired of being there. I'm one of the few that haven't mated and I just want to get away. I haven't found someone to mate with and seeing them with their families is a little too much."

I patted his arm. "I understand. It's a long time to go without a mate."

He nodded, "I believe I might have found mine."

I smirked, "Ayumi is a kind and gentle person. I think you two would be lovely together. Now, I have to make sure my guests aren't killing each other. Go ahead and stay with her, I don't mind and I doubt she would either."

We walked into my dining room and I could only be thankful it was in one piece. True, they were glaring at each other, but at least that's all they were doing.

"Baka." I sighed and went back to my breakfast, which was now cold. Ginta had gone back to my room, "No mating just yet!" I shouted and heard him trip in the hall.

Looking back at the guys creating tension in the room, I sighed. "Don't you have things to do?"

Kenpachi stood up, "Yeah. I have to get the grunts."

"Hey, when you see Ikkaku, tell him if he's free tonight and Eri's awake, he should take her on a date."

He snickered, "Oh, he'll be more than welcomed to the idea."

I raised an eye brow, "Will he now?"

"You have no idea." He grinned.

"I'll have to let her know." I smirked.

With nods exchanged, he left me to deal with the lingering men in my dining room.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi left Kagome's apartment to go to the meeting spot at Urahara's. On the way, he thought about all he learned while there - while still aware of his surroundings. From all that happened yesterday, to the Espada showing up after he had believed he had killed him. Kenpachi was still curious as to what it was she was going to tell him and Kuchiki. What made it so important that they had sworn an oath to hear it?<p>

"Oh well. Only time will tell." Kenpachi said aloud, while his lips turned up on one corner of his mouth. "There I go again, sounding like that damn prick Kuchiki."

Once he arrived at Urahara's he could tell the others had arrived. Entering without knocking as he knew the other knew it was him, he saw that he was right.

"Ken-chan! You're back!" Yachiru shouted before jumping over to him and taking her normal place on his back.

Scanning the room, he saw Ikkaku and Yumichika along with Urahara and his party. Abarai was here as well.

"So, did you find him? My Taichou?" Renji said looking up from his spot against the wall - knee raised off the floor and zanpakuto leaning against his chest - looking at the Eleventh Division Taichou. "These two won't say a thing." He said jerking his thumb in the direction of Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"Yeah, I found him." Zaraki said with a knowing smirk. He was going to take great pleasure in taunting Kuchiki and Kagome about what happened last night in front of the others. "That prick is more than fine. But I need you to help me with somethin', Abarai. Yachiru can you get down for a few? I need to talk to him in private."

Wordlessly, Yachiru got down and returned to her previous spot.

Renji looked at him in confusion, but got up none the less and followed the taichou outside.

Once outside the shop, Kenpachi turned and looked at Renji. "I got a friend here in the world of the living that has friend who's interested in Ikkaku. I know for a fact, that Ikkaku is interested in her as well. What I need from you is for you to help me make sure he doesn't escape beforehand." Zaraki said with his trademark smirk when he saw that Renji was thinking over his words.

Renji on the other hand was thinking over what the taichou just said and couldn't help but grin evilly himself. "I know just what to do..."

Kenpachi grinned, _this is gonna be good._

* * *

><p>Kagome grinned at the two men in front of her and enjoyed the suspicious glances they sent her way. "I'm going to need your help with a little something."<p>

Grimmjow grinned despite himself, "And what," he put his arm over her shoulder, "Do you have in mind?"

Byakuya fought the urge to rip the former Espada's arm from the Miko. Kagome noticed his ire and walked to her kitchen to get something more to drink in favor of keeping Byakuya calm and Grimmjow alive. "Here's the deal…"

* * *

><p>After planning out how we would get those two on a date, okay me and Grimmjow with very little commentary but lots of eye rolls from Byakuya, I let Grimmjow out and began meditating with Byakuya.<p>

111111111111111111111

Instead of being taken to my inner world, memories of the past came to the forefront of my mind.

The only message we had received from my friends was one telling us Inuyasha had returned with Kikyo. Sango had written, telling us that he had been enraged when discovering I wasn't with them. He got worse when he found out I wasn't home and that they had no idea where I had gone.

111111111111111111111

Inuyasha was running back to his pack with his mate, Kikyo, on his back. He couldn't help but smile. Kikyo had finally agreed to be his mate and with the six weeks that he had been gone, he had been more ecstatic than ever. Now he didn't need to keep leading that pathetic, clingy, useless, Miko.

He smirked at the thought of how wrapped around his finger she was. Maybe, if he played his cards right, he could still have her. She would be mad at first, but a few sweet words, a light hug, and a gentle kiss later, she'd be putty in his hands. He grinned; the frowned just as quickly appeared. _Maybe I should have mated Kagome instead. I do need an heir and seeing as Kikyo is…well only Kagome could give me an heir._

He scented the air and found he wasn't far from the village. Stopping before he left the trees, he felt his mate tighten her hips around him. He smirked; it seems like him and his little mate had the same idea.

He crouched down to let him mate off him and turned to her. She looked so beautiful. Her smirk pulled his attention and he looked at the lips he intended to abuse. He pushed her against a tree and proceeded to take his fill of his delectable mate. Her moans were music to his ears.

After both had had their fill for the time being, they took their time walking to the village. They didn't need to hurry back, so they enjoyed the only time they had together before they would join the others.

Upon arrival, Inuyasha saw Shippou chasing Kirara around. "Hey, Runt!"

Shippou froze at hearing an unwanted voice. Kirara stopped right behind him and turned to the inu hanyou that called the kit's attention. Both exchanged glances and looked back at the inu hanyou before turning around and heading to Kaede's hut.

Entering the hut, Shippou shouted, "Inu-baka's back!" When the startled adults looked at the tiny kit, he continued, "And he's brought-"

Inuyasha opened the flap and entered the hut, thus interrupting the poor kit. "What's up?"

The glares of everyone inside made him cock his head to the side, confused. "What the hell."

Miroku sighed and looked at the shaking Sango. "Inuyasha, I suggest you take your mate and leave this village till we have calmed down." He tore his eyes away from his once friend. He couldn't think of a way to save Inuyasha; not that he wanted to. Even he felt the betrayal his little Miko imouto felt.

Inuyasha growled, "What the hell is going on, you lecher?"

Kaede stepped up from behind a small partition in her home. "Aye, Inuyasha. Ye best take that golem and leave this village. Ye are not welcome here until Kagome says otherwise."

His ire grew, "What the hell are talking about, you old hag? Kagome ain't got a say in shit!"

Kikyo frowned, "As if my _reincarnation_-" she spat the word with so much venom, "-has any say in the dealings of my village."

Kaede frowned, "Ye are not my Onee-sama. She died over fifty years ago. This is not a village for the dead to linger. Leave this village, both of ye. When Kagome returns, we will send word. I will not have you in this village."

Inuyasha growled, "I ain't gonna leave just because you don't want to hurt the wench's feelings. Fuck that!" He snarled.

Sango took a deep breath and stood. The look she gave Miroku made him pause in stopping her. Grabbing her Hiraikotsu, she pushed passed the hanyou to walk outside.

Inuyasha grabbed her arm, "Where do you think you're going?" His voice was low and dangerous.

He answer was calm, collected, and emotionless. "I am going to the forest. Release my arm before you loose it, half-breed."

Inuyasha was so shocked, he fell back a step and let her go. Kikyo narrowed her eyes, "Do not talk to him like that."

Sango let out a dark chuckle, "Or you'll what, Kikyo? Shoot me?" There was a look in her eyes that made the undead Miko falter as well. Sango stepped up to her, fingers brushing her cheek, "Oh, Kikyo, make sure you are never in my sight again." She cupped her cheek like a lover, "I would hate to ruin a good piece of pottery." Her voice was deep and husky; meant to lead the undead woman in front of her into a false sense of security.

Kikyo's eyes widened as she took yet another step back. Inuyasha growled dangerously at Sango, "Watch yourself, Sango. Miroku might loose his fiancé." He cracked his knuckles and brought his claws into sight.

Miroku stood gracefully and walked to Sango, "Don't threaten Sango, Inuyasha. You might wake mateless should you attempt such an endeavor." Putting his hand on her shoulder, yes her shoulder, he guided her to the well clearing.

"He came back." She simply stated a fact.

Miroku nodded, "Indeed, he did."

She looked at her fiancé. "How dare he come back!" She allowed her anger to overcome her. "After what he did! He comes back and expects us to be okay with everything! What kind of baka is he?"

They turned when they heard Inuyasha spouting curses, "When is the wench coming back? Fuck! She needs to get over it! She knew I wanted Kikyo and not her! I don't see what the big deal is! Fuck! And they kick us out of the village!"

"Inuyasha, Kagome will always be jealous that you are mine. My little _reincarnation_ needs to learn her place." Kikyo's vindictive voice was heard over the hanyou's.

Sango turned to the couple, "What do you think you're doing here?"

Inuyasha snarled, "I'm going to go get that useless piece of trash so we can find the Shikon no Kakera, what else?"

Sango laughed, "All the times you told her that Kikyo could do a better job at finding them; why do you go to her?" She paused, looking between the unfortunate couple. Sango laughed darkly, "Don't tell us, Kikyo can't sense the shards, can she?"

Inuyasha growled, "No, she can't." He turned to his mate with anger in his eyes.

Kikyo immediately tried to placate her mate, "That little copy of mine is calling back her soul bit by bit. She took so much of _my_ miko-ki that I can't sense much anymore."

Inuyasha scoffed, "It doesn't matter. I'm going to get the wench and drag her back here so we can leave. She's not going back home till this shit with Naraku is finished. She can jump off a cliff afterward, for all I care."

Sango turned a glare that could kill on Inuyasha, "Leave her alone. She'll come back when she's ready."

"No," Inuyasha yelled, "She'll come back when I say! And I say she comes back now!" He turned and plunged into the depths of the well.

Kikyo glared at the two before her. She needed to leave before the Houshi said some unwanted things. Kikyo turned to leave, but was stopped by Miroku's next words.

Miroku looked thoughtfully at the pair, "That's interesting." He didn't say her name. Sango noticed this; Miroku was a polite…despite certain lecherous thoughts, actions, and words…when the situation called for it.

"What?" Kikyo asked. She feared the Houshi would say unnecessary things.

He looked her dead in the eye, "There are various ways for a Miko, or Houshi, to, not loose per say, but no longer be able to call upon their reiatsu. One cannot have their reiatsu taken away unless by the Kami themselves."

He glanced at his taijiya for her reaction and saw hatred in the former Miko's eyes. "One is the usual way, to loose one's virginity; but that is more a state of mind than anything else. Another is to bind them; there is a certain ritual for this particular way. Some have used this to escape certain…situations, shall we say. Their reasons are there own, but the reiatsu isn't sealed immediately, it takes time for it to dwindle down to where it feels like they are gone. Lastly, while it isn't permanent, it is a brief hold on the reiatsu from when it changes from good to evil, I suppose you can call it. In the last one, the ki withdraws to depths of ones soul so that it may change. This one is abrupt and takes a while to return. During this time, many seclude themselves for they are left defenseless. They have absolutely no way to call upon their power."

Sango glared at the golem, "What are you trying to say Miroku?"

Miroku shrugged, "One has to wonder, which she did? I know it was not her virginity. Inuyasha has bedded her before their mating, so that cannot be it. She isn't becoming a Kuro Miko; she would not have even the little that she has. That begs the question, what caused her to bind her miko-ki?"

Sango raised a brow and gave a blank look. "Are you sure, Miroku?"

Kikyo glared at him, "Silence yourself Houshi. You know not what you speak."

He chuckled darkly, "Ah, but I do. All Houshi at my temple are taught this. They want us to be able to understand the ramifications of our actions."

Kikyo clenched her fists, "Speak of this to Inuyasha and you will not live to regret it."

Miroku shrugged, "If he finds out is not my problem but yours. There is something about that particular ritual that not many know. I had the pleasure of stumbling upon that little secret."

Kikyo gave an impressive growl, "What is this secret you speak of?"

Miroku smirked, "Now if I told you, it would not be a secret. I will leave you to figure it out. Although I have very little doubt that you will. Even if you do, it will be too late. The counter ritual requires more reiatsu than you currently have. It also must be done by the person who did the ritual in the first place."

Kikyo narrowed her eyes then turned to leave, opting to wait for her mate where they last rutted.

Sango turned to Miroku, "We need to warn Kagome."

"We cannot go ourselves. Inuyasha would try to follow."

Sango nodded in agreement. "We can send Kirara. She often wanders when we have nothing to do so it will not be suspicious."

The couple turned to leave only to be verbally bombarded by an irate hanyou. "Fuck this! The useless bitch isn't even home! Where the hell could she have gone?"

Sango couldn't even stand being around him anymore. Glancing at Miroku, she turned to leave and completely ignored the bastard that broke her imouto's heart.

Inuyasha, not about to let his "pack" disrespect him by not answering him, grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against a tree. "Where is she?" His eyes were narrowed and his father's crests were beginning to appear faintly.

Sango gave him a bored look, "Your guess is as good as mine." She pulled a knife from the leave of her kimono and grabbed his wrist with her free hand. Putting the tip of the blade facing up against the underside of his chin, she spoke slowly and lowly. "You're going to release me. You're never going to touch me again. And you're never going to belittle Kagome in my presence again. If anyone is useless, _half-breed,_ it's you."

Inuyasha's eyes couldn't decide if they wanted to narrow more or widen. "I'm Alpha, wench. You better remember that! This is my pack."

Sango chuckled darkly and Miroku spoke in her place, "Inuyasha, you have never been Alpha. You don't have what it takes. Release Sango and I won't go after Kikyo." His voice was just as dark, if not more so than Sango's.

The angered hanyou released the taijiya and took a few steps back. Looking between the two, he asked, "What the hell is your problem. Not like the wench means anything." He crossed his arms and stuck them in each sleeve. "She's just good for a shard detector. Other than that, she doesn't mean anything. When she's fulfilled her duty, I'll just get rid of her. We'd all be better off without her." He looked back at Sango, "Where is she?" He demanded, yet again.

Miroku gripped his shakujou tightly, "Leave, and do not return. We don't know where she has gone. We just know she let and didn't want you to know. Find her yourself is you want to know, but don't expect her to welcome you with open arms." He took Sango's shoulder and began to walk further into the forest.

Inuyasha huffed when they were out of sight. He frowned. He couldn't find trace of her scent anywhere and knew she wasn't home. He looked into the forest and wondered where she could have possibly gone; not that he cared. She was wasting time being selfish and not finding the shards for him. It was his Tama and he didn't want her off doing her own thing when he wanted the Tama found and with him.

1111111111111111111

Sango and Miroku put together a small letter and called for Kirara. When asked, the tiny neko gave a meow and transformed. "Play around for a little while so Inuyasha doesn't get suspicious as to where you're going. We don't need him around anymore than he already is."

Kirara meowed and went about her task in her own way. Three hours later she flew to the Western Kyuutei. When they guards stopped her she simply sat and flared her youki so Kagome would come to her. Luckily, the little Miko had been not too far away and came dashing out the front doors and pounced the unsuspecting neko.

The guards had found this oddly amusing. They had known what the Miko was like and also knew never to get on the wrong side of temper.

Pleasantries were exchanged and Kirara left not too long after and went about removing the Western scent from her person. No need to have Inuyasha know Kagome was with Sesshoumaru, after all. He would find out soon enough, and she would enjoy every minute of that reunion. Kirara gave a far too eerie neko smirk.

No one realized she was as smart as they come. Kirara had a rather twisted sense of humor and always got a sadistic pleasure watching the irritating hanyou kiss dirt after being sat by her favorite Miko. No one gave a second glance at her because of her appearance, and she happened to prefer it most of the time. There were very few instances that irritated her to no end when no one was able to understand her.

* * *

><p>I felt myself being drawn into the waking world and I looked around. Somehow, Byakuya and Kirara got into a staring match and I snickered. "Need some privacy?"<p>

He turned that glare at me and I saw Kirara's amusement. A knock at the door drew all our attention and I groaned as I stood up. Kirara meowed and I waited for her to jump on my shoulder. Once nestled in her spot, she gave the go-ahead. I fought an eye roll and went to the door and found my Okaa-san and the strange, blonde man that was sitting on the floor with a tea cup a few days ago.

"Mama~?" I asked and saw her blush while she smiled. _This is going to be interesting._

**A/N: I am sooooooo sorry that this took so long! I've been sick and my brain shut down. This is the next chapter! I hope you like it. Again, I'm so sorry for the wait! Please R&R!**


	20. Chapter 20: What Happens Next

Chapter 20: What Happens Next?

I invited the two in and led them to the living room, where Byakuya and Kirara had gotten into another staring contest; or should I say, Byakuya was glaring at Kirara while she looked at him with boredom. I snickered again; I can ask our guests to come back later if you would like your privacy."

Byakuya turned that glare on me. I shrugged and moved to the side revealing my guests. "Behave." I looped my arm with my mom's and sat on the couch, grabbing Kirara on the way.

The blonde man sat on the love seat to the side as Byakuya sat opposite of him. He flicked open his fan and covered his face, "Ara, I had to admit, I thought Kenpachi was telling tall tales about you." He gave us both a knowing look and continued, "This is most definitely a pleasant surprise."

I felt the curiosity in my mom's aura and looked at her, "What's up, Mama?"

She almost jumped at my voice and looked at me, "Ara? I can to visit and see how you were doing. Tou-san is bragging to the patrons that he had an 'authentic ritual done by a real Miko.' You know his senility is getting worse," we giggled and I pictured Jii-chan going around to everyone showing them the rosary.

"Only Jii-chan, Mama. Only Jii-chan." I saw her glance at Byakuya and laughed, "Mama, you remember Byakuya-chan, ne? He was there the day I moved? He picked up Rukia-chan and Abarai-san."

"Ah, I remember. Nice to see you again. I apologize for my daughter. My name is Higurashi Mizuki."

He nodded like the stuck up noble he was and replied, "Kuchiki, Byakuya."

The blonde man raised a brow, gaining my attention, "I don't believe we've met. My name is Higurashi, Kagome. You've met my mother, I assume?"

He grinned and I felt, rather than saw, the blush on my mom's face. "Urahara, Kisuke. Nice to meet you." He looked at Byakuya, "You know they've been going crazy looking for you."

Byakuya nodded, "That barbarian was here not too long ago telling me the same thing."

I felt mama tense and whispered, "It's okay, Mama. He's just like Sesshoumaru-sama." I saw her nod in understanding.

"Yes, Kenpachi said he found you. He also had the most interesting news." He gave me a sly glance and I immediately knew what he was talking about. "I can see you are getting better. When will you be returning?"

I saw Byakuya stiffen ever so slightly; most would never catch it. Apparently, I wasn't the only one and I saw Urahara barely conceal a smirk.

Mama pulled me to her, "They know each other?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I think they used to work together." At her questioning look, I replied, "They're Shinigami, Mama." At her gasp, both men looked at us, "It's okay, Mama. They won't do anything. It's like visiting with Sesshoumaru-sama and Shippou. While they can be dangerous, it doesn't mean they are. By the way, Ginta! Can you come out for a little while? There's someone I want you to meet." I said as if he was standing right next to me.

Mama looked just a little confused; like she was trying to recall where she'd heard that name before. "You remember those times I told you about Kouga?" She nodded and I looked over her shoulder at Ginta, "Well, this is Ginta. He and Hakkaku used to run around chasing him."

She turned around and saw a handsome youkai. He was taller than he used to be and he grew out his hair. While he kept the colors, he had a small portion of his hair up in a pony tail and the other half, plus some in the front down. It gave a rather impressive impression that he had maturity and youth all in one.

He smiled, "Nee-chan always used to talk about you when we would meet up." He walked to her and bowed, "Yamasaki, Ginta. It is an honor to meet Nee-chan's mother." He straightened up.

Mama returned the greeting. Standing, then bowing, she answered, "Higurashi, Mizuki. It is an honor to meet a friend of Kagome's." She straightened up so he could see her gratitude, "And a pleasure to meet one who helped keep her safe." Her words made him blush.

"Ne, Kagome, I'm going to go back for a little while." He pulled out a business card and scribbled something on the bad with the pen that was in his hair. "Let me know when she wakes up. Maybe I'll be able to ask her out when she comes around."

He started to leave and I called out, "Ginta, if you want to make or giver something, do it. I'm going to need to make a couple for things so they can stand being around her without passing out. If anything, it should be something you gave her. At least, that way, she'll think about you more." I grinned as he blushed and nodded and left.

Mama looked at me, "Hooking your friends up, Kagome? After all the times you said you hated it?" She gave a knowing smile that looked far too innocent.

"It's payback, Mama. I already got Eri; Ayumi was bound to be next. Plus, she and Ginta are perfect for each other. They are just the cutest."

Mama laughed softly and replied, "You are absolutely right. They would look adorable together. I'm sure Kirara agrees." Said neko meowed happily.

I turned and glared, "Don't think I forgot about you, you little prankster." She meowed innocently at me, "Like I'm going to believe that." She meowed again, "Ugh, there's no winning with you!"

This seemingly "one way" argument continued and I heard my own mother laughing as I tried to stay mad at the adorable neko smiling at me. "Now I know why you're so cute! It's so that it's impossible to want to hurt you for things like this! I swear it's a defense mechanism!" At Kirara's meow, I growled, "That wasn't a compliment! No matter how cute you are!" My mother only continued to chuckle.

* * *

><p>Urahara looked at the women and neko oddly and turned to Byakuya, "Is she always like this?" He asked quietly.<p>

Byakuya looked at exiled Shinigami and nodded, "Worse."

This caused the former taichou to chuckle in amusement. "It seems like you'll have your hands full with that one."

Byakuya nodded not really paying attention till he heard him chuckle again. He glared at the blonde man, "I do not know what it is you speak of."

Urahara open his fan again, "Come now, Byakuya-chan." He smirked at the glare that nickname caused, "You don't have to deny it. It's fairly obvious; even if Kenpachi didn't go around laughing about how you had fallen in love."

His glare intensified, "I tolerate her calling me that infernal name for only one reason. I have no other choice. If you call me that again, I will kill you." His tone was deadly, not that it affected Urahara. No, Urahara merely chuckled and waved his fan as if he could wave away the threat. "I'm going to have fun telling Yoruichi." He pictured the tortured that onna would bring about in regards to "Little Byakuya," as she loved to call him.

Byakuya didn't take that too well and fought hard not to strike at the man for his impudence. No need scaring Kagome's mother as he attacked the irritating man.

* * *

><p>While in the middle of trying to find a way to scold Kirara without complimenting her cuteness, I heard Ayumi, "Kagome?"<p>

My mom turned around, "Hi girls. I didn't know you were here." I watched as she went to hug them and rolled my eyes.

I whispered to Kirara, "This is so not over, you little troublemaker."

Eri saw the new man in my apartment and her eyes widened, "Ji-san?"

Urahara's eyes widen just like hers, "Eri? What are you doing here?" He shot out of his chair and ran to Eri, pulling her into what appeared to be a bone crushing hug.

"Ji-san…can't…breathe," she managed to get out.

I help back a laugh as I made my way to and overly irritated Byakuya. He looked like he wanted to get away from all things irritating. "If there are too many people, or you're not feeling up to it, you can go to your room. I'm sure no one will mind. You are injured, after all."

He gave me a grateful look before nodding and rising from his seat. "If you'll excuse me. I seem to have become worn out." At the others Okays, he began walking to his room.

Mama gave me a look, "I'll explain later, but for now, I need to check his bandages."

Urahara asked as I was about to walk to the hall, "So he really was injured?"

I nodded, "Yeah." I followed him to his room and closed the door behind me.

At his inquisitive gaze, I tilted my head, "I need to check your wounds. I shouldn't take long."

He nodded and took off his haori as he sat at the edge of the bed. Undoing his bandages, I was amazed that he was basically healed. "Wow. There aren't any cuts. The skin is just pink." I touched where the wounds were checking for sensitivity and stiffened when I felt him shudder. "I didn't mean-" I looked up and my breath was caught. In his eyes, I saw lust.

Trying not to blush, I went back to checking the rest of the colored skin. I felt a heat in me as my hands roamed him. I tried not to shudder at the feel of his lean muscles.

When my hands reached his chest, he grabbed my wrist. I froze and looked up and noticed the lust in his eyes increased. I knew mine were reflecting the same thing.

Slowly, he pulled me to him; as if unsure that he wanted to do what I thought he did. I couldn't find it in myself to stop him. I wanted this just as much as he did, but I dared not make any movements of my own for fear of breaking the spell.

He stopped when we were inches apart and still I didn't make my own move. I waited entirely for him, knowing it wouldn't end will it I acted on my own impulses. I saw his eyes make their way to my lips and my mouth went dry. The impulse to lick my lips was so string that I gave in and licked them. That simple action was all it took and he crashed his lips to mine. I instantly returned the kiss. His other hand made its way to my neck and I tilted my head to give him better access when he licked my bottom lip.

The kiss was long and hard; like a man finally quenching his thirst. I felt him release my wrist and that same arm made its way to my back pulling me even closer to him. Following his actions, I put my arms around his neck and straddled him. I felt him trying to pull me even closer and he had me pressed against him. Never once did our lips lose contact.

I felt the hand on my back make its way under my shirt and to my bra. It was that single action that broke through my hazy mind. I broke the kiss and stumbled out of his lap. We were both breathing as hard as my blush was bright red.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't-I'm sorry." I tried to get out between pants. That single kiss left me more breathless than traipsing around the Sengoku Jidai ever did.

He stood and walked towards me, "No, I should apologize. I lost control." Even though he was saying these things, I could tell he didn't mean a word. He wasn't sorry in the slightest; but then again, neither was I.

He backed me into a wall; resting both forearms on wall behind me. "I think-" he kissed my lips, "-you should-" he kissed my jaw line, "-go-" he kissed my neck making force back a moan that escaped despite my trying, "-before something-" a kiss was placed lower down my neck making me moan again, "happens." He planted another kiss on my lips; although this one was longer and more drawn out. My knees gave out and I wrapped my arms around his neck in an effort to keep me upright. His hands went to my waist and I was pulled flush against him again. This time, I moan into his mouth. When I felt a small bugle forming in his hakama with how close we were and I couldn't bring myself to care. I wanted him just as much as he wanted me.

He pulled away slightly and looked at me, making my knees even weaker. I was lucky to already be in his arms. I nodded and returned the gesture, "Yeah." I kissed his lips, "I-" his jaw line, "-probably should." I placed a kiss on his neck, "After all-" I kissed a little lower on his neck, "-I have-" lower, yet again, "-company-" I kissed the juncture of his neck and shoulder, "I need to worry about." I kissed his lips once more and poured the same passion he did into my last kiss before we pulled apart and I walked out the door and straight to the restroom.

I fought myself every step. I wanted so badly to return and ignore everyone that had come. I knew this wasn't something I was going to get over anytime soon. My racing heart only got more so the further away I went. I felt like it too was trying to get me to return to his arms. I locked myself in the restroom and turned on the faucet.

While I waited for the water to warm up, I looked in the mirror. I looked thoroughly kissed and was satisfied that it was him that made me look this way. I knew we were going to be separated and my racing heart clench. I wanted to cry. It took less than a week for me to fall in love with the stoic taichou and I wanted to scream. I wanted to be angry and cry that it wasn't fair, that he was going to leave me.

Opting to wash my face instead, I silenced all thoughts except for one; _I have tonight to make it memorable. That is, if we're both willing to._

* * *

><p>Byakuya didn't expect the Miko to follow him. He heard the door close as he reached his bed and he turned to see Kagome.<p>

He watched as she tilted her head, "I need to check your wounds. I shouldn't take long."

He nodded and took off his haori as he sat at the edge of the bed. He watched her undo his bandages and couldn't help but feel thrilled that she would be touching him. Keeping silent, he waited for her to speak, "Wow. There aren't any cuts. The skin is just pink." When she touched him he held back a groan and as much of his shudder as he could. Sadly, a small bit escaped. He heard her soft, musical voice, "I didn't mean-" He watched as she looked at him and his breath was caught just as much as hers, yet he gave no inclination. Her eyes were a gorgeous color, not the brown of most native Japanese. No her stormy blue-grey eyes had darkened with a small hint of lust.

He watched as she touched him again. And felt a trail of fire where her hands had trailed. He had no idea why this young woman affected him so and he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. The blaze only got stringer the longer her hands were on him.

When her hands were felt on his chest, he grabbed wrist. He felt her stiffen; the lust in her eyes increased. He knew his were reflecting the same thing.

Slowly, he pulled her to him; giving her the chance to stop him, refuse him, anything to break whatever hold she had on him. He saw her eyes becoming insistent.

He stopped when they were inches apart and had only followed his lead. He needed an invitation. He would not force her into anything. Byakuya couldn't help but feel the need to have her participate. He felt like he needed her approval; that what he wanted, she wanted as well.

When his eyes made their way to her lips, he wanted to badly to ravish them. He mentally groaned at the thought of tasting her lips. They had called to him on more than one occasion and he always wondered if they were as soft and delicious as they looked. When she licked her lips, his resolve broke and he crashed his lips to hers. He felt her instantly return the kiss. He brought one hand to her neck and she tilted herself to give him better access to her moist cavern when he licked her bottom lip.

The kiss was demanding and passionate; like a man finally quenching his thirst. The need to have her closer made itself known and he released her wrist in favor of putting it on her back to pull her closer to his body. He almost groaned aloud when she put her arms around his neck and straddled him. The pressure of her weight on him was amazing. He had to have her closer. It didn't feel right to have so much space between them. He gave in and pressed her against himself. Never once allowing their lips lose contact.

Byakuyawanted to feel even more of her, so the hand on her back made its way under her shirt and to her bra. He wanted to groan at the loss of her entirely when she broke the kiss and stumbled out of his lap. Both of them were felt panting and she had the most delectable blush.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't-I'm sorry." Her words were forced and throaty.

He needed more so he stood and slowly stalked towards her, "No, I should apologize. I lost control." His voice was lower and huskier than he thought it would be. He was glad that he sounded like he did. He was going to kiss her until she left. He knew he wanted her. This might be their last day together and he was going to make the most of it until she didn't feel comfortable anymore. He was giving her control in this. He didn't want to add to the experience she was speaking of earlier.

He finally had her caged. While he was letting her dictate when she left, he planned on making it as impossible as he could. He wanted her more than anything. Even his Hisana had never made him react this way. "I think-" he kissed her lips, "-you should-" her jaw line, "-go-" the kiss on her neck elicited the most amazing sound in the form of a moan, "-before something-" a kiss was placed lower down my neck, "happens." He kissed her for the last time and poured as much passion as he could into it. He felt the blood rush to his southern head and knew it was caused by the young woman in front of him.

He forced himself away from her lips and almost lost himself in her eyes. He watched her nod and returned the gesture, "Yeah." Their lips met, "I-" her lips met his jaw line, "-probably should." when she kissed his neck, he almost lost himself, "After all-" and when she went a little lower, "-I have-" lower again, "-company-" when she kissed that spot, he almost left out a moan of his own, "I need to worry about." When she kissed his lips, he forced himself to not take her where they stood.

When she pulled away, he let her go. Byakuya couldn't bring himself to say anything; for he knew if he did, it would be to say anything to get her to stay. He fought himself with grabbing her and let her walk away. Every step she took away from him made his heart clench. When she was out of sight, he walked back against the bed and put his head in the hands. He wanted her so bad it hurt. They had barely done anything this entire week, yet she was all he wanted. He couldn't understand it.

_What have I done? I want- no need- her and yet, I know that we cannot be together. She is ningen, as such, she won't like nearly as long as I. This doesn't include what the family would say if we somehow did get anywhere else. They wouldn't let me do anything like what I had done with Hisana ever again. They would fight and drive her away. I wouldn't force her into anything like that. Especially since she belongs here, first and foremost. I wouldn't be able to take her away from her home._

Opting to ignore the rest of his thoughts, he shook his head and laid down for a nap until the others left.

* * *

><p>The girls shared a knowing look while the adults talked. When Kagome followed Byakuya, they held back giggles. One look at Urahara said he thought the same thing. They sat on the couch and talked about nothing, petting a napping Kirara and waiting for Kagome to return.<p>

Urahara, not wanting Mizuki to worry about the delay in her daughter, spoke and "subtly" flirted with the beautiful woman he walked in with.

* * *

><p>When I felt I was presentable again, I walked back into the living room to find my friends giving me grins and my mother blushing at something Urahara said.<p>

We all jumped when my mother said, "Oh!"

I looked at her funny and asked, "Is everything okay, Mama?"

She smiled brightly, "Everything is great, Sweetheart. I forgot I had errands to run. There are a couple of things I wanted to buy here, but I got sidetracked." She blushed prettily.

I saw Urahara smirk as he covered his face with his fan.

I shook my head, "What am I going to do with you, Mama?" Sill feeling my friends eyes on me, I turned, "Yes?"

Eri grinned, "Oh, nothing. We need to get going. We had errands to run to, we just came to stop by."

I felt Urahara's amusement grow. "Kagome-chan?" I turned and raised a brow in question. "I heard something very interesting from Kenpachi and he asked me to deliver a message."

Looking at him suspiciously, I took the folded paper from him. "You didn't read it did you?"

He looked insulted, but I knew he read it, "Of course I did Kagome-chan! Where would be the fun in not knowing when it comes to Kenpachi and Renji planning something?"

I shook my head and read the letter. Grinning like a mad woman I called over Ayumi. When she read the letter she giggled, "Well, that's interesting!"

I nodded, "Sure is. Think you can do it?"

She nodded sweetly, "Of course Kagome. I would be more than happy to." She waved to everyone and looped her arm around Eri's and smiled, "Let's go!"

"Ayumi wait!" She turned and gave me that adorably confused face, "This is for you." I handed her Ginta's card, having already memorized this number. "You should give him a call. He's a great man."

She blushed deeply and I laughed, "Go on! You have 'things' to do!"

I jumped when mama put her hand on my shoulder, "I should get going too, Kagome. I have to get a couple of things from Isshin for Tou-san."

I grinned, "On a first name basis are we, Mama?"

She blushed and tried, but failed, to frown, "Kagome."

I ginned, "Have fun, Mama."

Urahara stood, "I think I will accompany you out, Mizuki. I have to make sure they haven't destroyed my shop yet. Ikkaku and Renji get so heated about fighting." He rolled his eyes. "Plus, I know Kenpachi wasn't joking around about Byakuya-chan." He grinned behind his fan; at least, that's what I thought.

I looked back when we reached the door and decided to walk my mom to Isshin's then to the bus stop.

While my mom went inside, I stayed outside with Urahara, "You were flirting with my mom." I said casually.

"You were making out with Byakuya-chan." He replied just as casually.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm a teenager. I'm supposed to do random things like that with the guy I like. So what? We're talking about you flirting with my mom."

He sighed, "Yes, she's very beautiful."

"You have no idea." I looked at him from the corner of my eye.

"I think I do." I saw his "nice guy' façade grow serious."

I didn't move, "You _think_ you do?" I chuckled, "You have no idea. I was raised by her. I know the beauty and value she has."

"Why is this important?" He asked skeptically.

"I want to know what your next move is."

"Hmmm. That's difficult. Even if I did want to pursue a relationship with her, I wouldn't be able to. I'm not the best person around to do things like that with."

I turned my head and saw so much in his eyes. They were eyes that had seen the worst horrors. I held eyes like that. It doesn't matter how I cover it up, people with those eyes always recognize each other. "It's not your fault." He did a double take, "What happened wasn't your fault. It's whoever caused it that holds all the blame. I don't care what happened or who was involved; I just know it wasn't your fault." I looked him dead in the eye, "If you think you can make each other happy, go for it." I almost got lost in my memories at my next line, "You never know if it will be too late when you realize how good it could have been."

He raised a brow, "How would you know?"

I looked at the sky, "I learned that the hard way. I didn't speak up and it almost cost me everything."

"As much as I would love to wait for Mizuki-chan, I'm afraid I really must go." He nodded and left me alone to get lost in my thoughts.

Thankfully, mama came out before I got the chance, "What happened to Kisuke?"

I shook my head, "He said he had to go."

She nodded and began walking, "Why is Byakuya-san in your home?"

I grinned, "I found him when he has injured. He was fighting something called a hollow. Kirara and I were just reunited and were about to settle down for the night then a flare of reiatsu got our attention." I shrugged, "We went to his rescue and he's been staying with me since the beginning of the week. He leaves tomorrow."

She looked at me, "Can you trust him?"

"He's Rukia-chan's nii-sama. Ichigo trusts Rukia-chan with everything and Rukia-chan idolizes and trusts him implicitly. I trust Ichigo and Rukia-chan. If they can trust him, why can't I?"

"Kagome-"

"Mama, he's like Sesshoumaru-sama. I can tell he wouldn't do anything dishonorable. Plus, he wouldn't dare try anything with Kirara around!" I grinned.

Mama shook her head and giggled, "Kirara is cute. She hardly looks dangerous."

I grinned even more, "And that's what makes it funnier!"

Before we knew it, we had reached the bus stop. I hugged her good bye and began my walk back home.

Half way there, I was stopped by a man with long hair and frail looking. He was holding a book as he looked up and smiled at me, "Higurashi-san?"

I took a step back and frowned, "Who wants to know?"

He smiled eerily, "You're a friend of Kurosaki Ichigo, correct?"

My eyes narrowed, "Same question, who want's to know?"

"No need to be difficult or hostile. I am simply inquiring." His voice sounded irritated yet trying to be calm at the same time.

I crossed my arms, "Yet, you won't tell me who you are."

He sighed and pulled the bookmark from its place as he closed the book. "I hate losing my place."

I scoffed, "Then you shouldn't have pulled out the bookmark."

He narrowed his eyes, "Book of the end." The bookmark gave off a light before changing into a sword.

Uncrossing my hands, I held one out as if I were holding a katana. "Watch yourself. I'm not the same as everybody else. You might get hurt."

"Oh, I don't know. Ichigo seems to think very highly of you from the few times you've met. Yet, he doesn't talk much about you, at least from what I've heard." He smirked.

I used my miko-ki to form a katana and was stunned when a corporeal oodachi formed. I head a whisper in the back of my mind and I understood, "Soukyoku."

He raised a brow, "Interesting name for a zanpakuto. Yet, I sense you are not Shinigami. It makes one wonder what you are." His grin grew slightly malicious. "I still have to punish you for making me lose my place."

I gripped Soukyoku a little tighter and waited for him to make his move. Something told me this was the man that messed with Orihime. I allowed my miko-ki to create a barrier around my tamashii. It being broken would have made whatever he was going to try that much more difficult.

He disappeared from sight and I turned in time to block him. His eyes widened ever so slightly and I couldn't help but smirk. He frowned and disappeared only to reappear on my left. I had long since anticipated his move and blocked his katana and maneuvered, clipping him on the neck.

He placed a hand to his wound and glared at me. Our fight continued till he managed to stick his katana upwards through my right side. By now, I was finally getting into the fight and reacted like I would any other spar. I gripped the blade that was exposed through my other side and stuck him in the same fashion.

He grunted in pain and shock. Falling to his knees, he released his hold on his katana, forcing it to revert it back into a bookmark. Clutching his side, he glared at me, "What are you?" The fear in his eyes was evident. He had seen a small part of my past. I felt when he tried to implant himself in it, but with my broken self, he could get no true hold. It helped that his mind couldn't comprehend what I had been through, thus not allowing him to force himself upon me; that and the West wouldn't allow its Miko to fall to such tactics.

I grinned, "Someone who may become your worst nightmare. Try something like that with me again, and I won't stop with just a flesh wound."

I left him bleeding as I returned to my apartment unscathed.

My chest began to hurt as the Tama began to pulsate and merge with me. I struggled to return to home as the pain only increased. It got worse and I passed out on my doorstep due to the pain. The last thing I remembered was Byakuya rushing to me after I fell. I knew I was going to get lost in my memories when the Shikon no Tama pulsed angrily at his invasion.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope this was a good chapter. I know it's taking a little longer for me to upload chapters, but I've been stressed with school and getting sick. I seem to be doing that a lot these days and I am so not happy about that. Please review! It'll make me and Milkshake-sama feel loved! She has been by my side diligently making sure I've been able to write this chapter! **


	21. Chapter 21: They Can What

Chapter 21: They Can What!

I was drawn back into my inner world with such a staggering force. Soukyoku had taken his ningen form and looked at me with concern. "Soukyoku what's wrong?"

He looked at me then turned to the shrine, forcing my line of sight to the entrance. I gasped when I saw Midoriko walking elegantly down the stairs. The pulsing reached me even here, making me clutch my chest and fall to my knees.

Soukyoku appeared at my side and held me to him. I watched Midoriko keep her slow even pace as she made her way to us. My breathing got lighter and shallower as the pulsing continued.

When she finally reached us, she spoke, "Breathe musume."

Taking in as much air as I could, I held it before letting it out. I repeated this process for what seemed like a lifetime before my labored breathing returned to normal.

When my episode calmed, she continued. "We have done what we can but it isn't enough. The Tama is merging with you. What this means remains to be seen. You are going to need Sesshoumaru to calm the other half of our Tama."

I groaned, "How am I supposed to get him here?"

She looked extremely amused despite the situation, "The West."

The pulsing continued and I clutched my chest again. Suddenly I felt a different pulse. It was calmer and blocked out the pain from the Tama. The second energy coincided with the first; it also forced to stay in my inner world.

* * *

><p>Byakuya carried the little Miko to her room, trying not to panic. He didn't understand why he was panicking in the first place.<p>

As soon as he set her down on the bed, she was covered in a green light. He looked to his side and saw Kirara narrowing her eyes at the petite woman.

The energy surrounding her was ancient; far older than anything he had felt in his long life. This energy felt older than Yamamoto-Sou-Taichou. Not only was it older, it was, by far, more powerful. It gave him pause.

When the energy began to pulse, he prepared for the worst.

Taking another glance at the neko, he noted that she seemed unperturbed by the foreign energy. If she didn't find this a threat, he would follow her lead since she obviously knew more about what was happening than him.

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru was in a meeting with the Northern Daiyoukai when he felt his lands calling for his attention. Both Daiyoukai froze in their seats. Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side ever so slightly as if listening for something.<p>

Standing abruptly, he nodded to his Northern counterpart and headed for the door, when a voice stopped him. "Where are you going?"

He looked at the other Daiyoukai over his shoulder. "It is none of your concern. This matter pertains to the West."

The Northern Lord's eyes narrowed, "The West is angered." He spoke carefully. "This Ryuujin would not have it spread to the North."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the ryuu keeping him from his imouto. "Nor will it. The West is angered for a wrong done to its House. The North has nothing to fear."

As his hand found itself on the door knob, the Northern Daiyoukai spoke again, "Then you will have no problem with This One accompanying you."

Sesshoumaru turned to his counterpart and raised a brow, "If This Sesshoumaru refuses what would you do?"

Ryuujin narrowed his eyes as he stood, "This Ryuujin is curious as to why you would not let him accompany you. Does the Western Lord have something to hide?" He almost sneered. If he hadn't have been speaking to Sesshoumaru, he might have.

Sesshoumaru almost chuckled, "This Sesshoumaru has nothing to hide." His emotionless face showed nothing, but his eyes held amusement, "Ryuujin may accompany This One, but he will not interfere. This matter pertains to the House of the West."

On the ride over, Ryuujin fumed as he studied Sesshoumaru for any signs of what to expect. He had been more than insulted for what had been said. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he mentally sighed and shook his head as he looked out the window.

Sesshoumaru had been aware for the scrutiny he was being out under by his counterpart and he wanted to roll his eyes. The Northern Lord was young. He had taken over after his father had simply refused to rule any longer. The current Northern Lord didn't rule through any full out war, thus he didn't understand the need to be so closed off. Granted, Sesshoumaru had taken it to an extreme.

Oh, Ryuujin knew when to use proper etiquette, but he was still far more open than all the other Daiyoukai. This difference caused some disagreement from the older Lords.

Reaching the Miko's small apartment, he sensed a familiar presence and that of a Shinigami. His eyes narrowed at the thought of one of them near his imouto; not that he could stop her. She always did meet the strangest people. He wanted to sigh then and there, but held back on the undignified action.

Ignoring the questioning look from the Northern Lord, he made his way upstairs and entered her home like he owned the place.

Ryuujin didn't even bother to ask the question he knew was on his face because he knew he wouldn't get an answer. Instead, he followed. As soon as he went through the door, his hair stood on end. A Miko lived here. He narrowed his eyes at the Western Lord suspiciously. What could Sesshoumaru want with a Miko? Especially since there weren't supposed to be any left. A moment later he felt the presence of a Shinigami and held back a snarl. He knew Sesshoumaru was honorable, thus he didn't want to suspect treachery.

He followed the older Daiyoukai down the hall not prepared for what was about to happen.

* * *

><p>Byakuya almost jumped when the door opened and in came the most dangerous being he'd ever felt. He didn't even have time to grab his zanpakuto as he found himself pinned against the wall by his neck and all he could think was, <em>so this is where she gets it from.<em>

He heard a growling noise and guess it came from the man that was choking him.

"What have you done to her." It wasn't a question but a command to speak. He recognized it because he had done the same thing on many occasions.

He tried to claw at the hand that was slowly suffocating him as ground out a light "Nothing."

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru scented no deceit o the Shinigami. Hearing a meow, he looked at the neko he used to travel with. Another meow and he let go.<p>

Fully turning to the neko, he asked her what had occurred. Getting nothing helpful, he looked at his imouto and felt fear and anger grip his heart.

Ignoring everyone else, he spoke with authority, "Awaken Miko, your Alpha commands it."

* * *

><p>I was curled up in Soukyoku's lap when I heard that arrogant inu and I couldn't help but chuckle. Then I found myself waking and I groaned in pain. "What happened, Sesshou?"<p>

"Onna have you no respect for your betters." Came an unidentified voice, with none of the deep, sensual baritone that was Sesshoumaru.

Curling into a ball and shutting my eyes, I asked, "Sesshou, have you done something to your voice?" My voice was strained and broken as I tried to keep the pain in.

I could practically hear the smirk in his voice when he replied, "Miko, has This One's short absence caused your sanity to take its leave? This One must say he is not surprised." Nope, that one was definitely the real Sesshoumaru.

I gritted out, "Never mind." Curling into an even tighter ball, I chuckled then began to cough. When the coughing subsided, I continued, "I should have known it wasn't you." I gasped as a tremor went through me. It seems the West thought its job was done now that Sesshoumaru was here. Regaining control of myself, I went on, "They called me onna and didn't insult me in the same sentence." I wheezed, "Plus, it didn't sound self-righteous." I stiffened to wait out yet another tremor.

I felt Sesshoumaru's irritation and the foreign youki spike. "You are lucky you are pack, Ka-Go-Me. None speak to This One that way and live to tell the tale.

The second youki fluctuated with curiosity and surprise, while Byakuya's reiatsu flared with confusion. "Whatever just make the pain stop." I whimpered.

"Miko-"

"Youkai-"

"What happened?" His voice held a hint of frustration and, dare I say, concern.

I felt Byakuya put his hand on my shoulder and the pain got worse. At my whimper, Sesshoumaru growled forcing him away, "Kagome-"

"Imouto, you have much to explain. To start with, why am I here?"

I started tearing, "Aniki," I choked out, "It hurts. Make it stop."

A hand made its way to my chest and a giant explosion of youki was directed to the exact spot where the Tama rested. The sudden explosion of youki and pain sent me into a coughing fit that had my gasping and choking for air. When the episode ended, I unfurled as slowly as possible to ease the tension from my muscles. I reluctantly sat up and glanced at the three men in my room. Shaking my head slowly to clear its fog, I saw a concerned Byakuya and reached for his hand, giving it a light squeeze. I frowned at Aniki's next words.

"Does This One need to worry about accepting a proposition for your mating?" The amusement was clear in his voice and I turned a full on glare that only made him all the more amused.

Just before I was about to lay it on thick, the second youkai drew my attention, making me pause. Trying to keep the pain out of my voice, I whispered, "Can you wait in the living room? I need to change out of these clothes. I'll do my best to answer and explain when I'm finished."

I watched as Sesshoumaru raised that damnable brow and nodded before leaving my room. The unknown youkai glared at me before following Sesshoumaru out. Kirara meowed to get my attention. I smiled and gave her a quick scratch behind her ears.

I turned to Byakuya and felt my heart flutter. He approached me slowly and sat on the bed next to me.

"Kagome, are you sure you're okay?" He looked so scared that I don't think he realized he was showing it.

I set my hand on his cheek. Smiling, I drew him close to me slowly before placing my lips to his. Drawing back, I smiled softly, "I'm feeling much better, thank you."

He looked torn. "Wait with the others, please. I will probably need help walking, so I'll send Kirara to get you. Will that be okay?"

He gave the smallest hint of a smile before nodding and leaving, closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p>The room was as tense as it could get, but Byakuya could focus on anything other than waiting for Kagome.<p>

Sesshoumaru was amused. Ryuujin scowled at the doorway. _That wench needs to learn her place! Speaking to Daiyoukai like she is their equal!_

Sesshoumaru, as if sensing his thoughts, spoke. "You will leave the Miko be."

He turned his scowl to the older Daiyoukai, "She needs to learn respect."

He raised a brow as Byakuya glared at the hatchling, "So says you. It is in fact _you _that must show her respect." He turned to the Shinigami, "She has bound you with an oath."

Before he had a chance to respond, Kirara appeared beside him and meowed as she looked to the hall. Nodding, he went to retrieve Kagome, but not before sending a glare to the silver haired being before him.

Sesshoumaru would have chuckled if it was in him to do so. _So my imouto has found herself a mate in the little Shinigami. This will be interesting._

* * *

><p>I was making my way to the door when Byakuya arrived. He looked so relieved to see me safe that I smiled sheepishly.<p>

I nearly melted on the spot when he drew me into his arms and muzzled my neck. Putting my arms around him, I drew myself as close to him as possible. He pulled away just enough to draw my attention to his face. When I looked up, he smashed his lips against mine and my legs almost gave out. One hand made its way to my hip and it drew me closer. I wanted so badly to continue, but the thought of Aniki and some unknown youkai smelling our arousal made me break our kiss.

At his questioning look, I couldn't help but blush. Not sure how to break it to him, I went with the blunt approach. "They can smell us if we do anything." When he narrowed his eyes in question, my blush grew, "They can smell our arousal. I wouldn't be surprised if they can smell it at this very moment." I couldn't tell if he looked horrified or surprised when his eyes widened.

Shaking his head, he sighed, "That is...unnatural."

I grinned, "On the contrary, it is extremely natural."

He glared at me as my grin turned impossibly innocent. "How about we worry about that never and found out who the other guy is."

His glare ceased as he shook his head, "You know some very strange...people."

I grinned, "You don't know the half of it."

I saw him fight the urge to roll his eyes as he put an arm around my waist and escorted me to my living room. I thought about telling him that they most likely heard our entire conversation but thought better of it and kept silent.

When we reached the others, I saw my Aniki and Alpha smirking at us. My fingers twitched with the urge to throw a ball of miko-ki at him. His smirk only grew, thus increasing the urge.

He led me to the couch and we sat by my Aniki. "Imouto, what kept you?"

I stiffened and glared heatedly at Sesshoumaru, "I don't think you want that of your imouto, Aniki."

His smirk merely grew even more and I brushed his shoulder, sending a small spark of miko-ki into him. His smirk died out and he glared at me as I looked up and smiled innocently.

The other youkai frowned as he watched the display. "Sesshoumaru, This One is curious as to who the Miko is," he spat the word with distaste.

I felt Byakuya stiffen beside me and I grabbed his hand to stop him.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow and answered in a bored tone, "Miko, the oath." My miko-ki flared minutely in Byakuya before he continued, satisfied with the results. "This Miko is a part of the House of the Moon and the West. She is the Miko of the Shikon no Tama."

I felt Byakuya pull away from and when I looked at him, his entire face showed surprise and disbelief.

"Impossible."

The word came from both men. The first was spoken as if in awe and complete and utter disbelief; the second was hard and suspicious with the tiniest hint of greed.

"This weak ningen cannot possibly be the Miko of legend!" His youki flared as he stood in outrage. "Sesshoumaru, This One did not peg you as one who spins a web of lies. To claim such, is blasphemous."

Sesshoumaru stood and towered over the already giant ryuu, "Webs of lies and deceit are better left to the filth of Naraku and other kumo." His voice alone made the air in the room degrees colder as he spoke his next words with ice practically dripping from them, "You question the honor of This Sesshoumaru?" He gave his deadly smirk and I grabbed Byakuya and Kirara, and backed us away as slowly as possible; all the while, reinforcing my apartment and us with as many of my strongest barriers as I could.

If I knew one thing about Sesshoumaru, it was to _never_ question his sense of honor.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, things are definitely taking a scary turn for Kagome! Just when things were finally going her way too! Please REVIEW my lovely readers! Thank you! Milkshake-sama would appreciate it too! And it might make her stop trying to sit on the computer when I'm trying to write my chapters.**

**+ Aniki: **Older Brother; it's another more personal way of saying 'Older Brother.'

**+ Ryuu: **Dragon

**+ Kumo:** Spider


	22. Chapter 22: What Kind of Baka…

Chapter 22: What Kind of Baka…

I felt Byakuya tense behind me. Turning my head without taking my eyes off the two Daiyoukai, I spoke lowly and submissively, "No matter what you do, do _not_ draw attention to yourself. If you need to speak, do so quickly and quietly."

I felt his hand on my shoulder, "What is going on, Kagome?"

I held back a sigh. _I forget that not everyone knows youkai customs. What kind of baka questions Sesshoumaru's honor?_

"Ryuujin just questioned Sesshou-Aniki's honor. That is one thing you _never_, I repeat _**NEVER**_, do. That's like telling a Miko she can't help the innocent, or a doctor to murder an entire hospital. It's not something that's done."

I finally positioned us onto a corner. Byakuya was behind me as I called Soukyoku and held it almost limply in front of me. When Byakuya grew tenser, I hissed, "Calm down. You'll draw their attention to us and I can't exactly fight off two Daiyoukai while trying to protect you, Kirara, and my home."

I felt more than saw his eyes narrow, "What are they?"

I resisted the urge to smack him and sighed, "Shh, I'll explain later. Right now, we focus on the two Daiyoukai in my living room that might attack each other."

* * *

><p>Ryuujin looked up at the intimidating inu before him. He had grown up on stories about what this male was capable of with just a look. He never once believed it true. He thought it was exaggerated. Now that he was in front of the Sesshoumaru, he was beginning to understand what they said.<p>

While he was beginning to understand, he would not back down. "If I must to prove that _she_ is not that Miko, then I will. That was 500 years ago!" He tried to make himself more intimidating.

Sesshoumaru's smirk grew even more deadly, "This One will take great pleasure in showing you _why_ _no one_ questions the honor of This Sesshoumaru." He lifted up a single left arm and allowed it to glow green. His dokkasou was in contrast with his dark grey suit.

Ryuujin narrowed his eyes, "You attack This Ryuujin and war will wage."

Sesshoumaru let out a deadly chuckle, "When asked, This Sesshoumaru will simply tell them of your impudence. You would not be able to wage war without the approval of the other two Lords."

Ryuujin growled low in his throat and brought his hands in front of him, turning them into charred talons. "Beware Sesshoumaru; This One's poison is deadly to all."

Sesshoumaru charged and wrapped his hand around the younger male's neck as he pushed him against the wall of the small apartment. He grinned in sadistic satisfaction as the acidic poison ate away at the insignificant ryuu's neck.

Ryuujin took this opportunity to grab hold of the inu's neck with his own hand. Grinning in false victory, his eyes widened as he began seeing black spots in his vision and a perfectly normal Sesshoumaru squeezing the life out of him.

His grip slackened and his hand fell when he finally lost touch with the waking world.

Sesshoumaru released the younger male and turned to see his imouto holding an odachi in a faux undefended position. Flicking his wrist to the side, his dokkasou evaporated and he raised an eyebrow.

* * *

><p>My eye twitched, my fingers twitched, and the only thing I could saw was, "I'm <em>so<em> not cleaning that up."

He chuckled lightly, "There is no mess, Kagome."

I frowned, "Then what do you call a ryuu unconscious on my living room floor, if it's not a mess?" I sighed, "Aniki, I love you, but not that much. I'm not going to even touch that." I pointed to said mess. "I also don't need an unconscious Daiyoukai in my home. Did you have to do that?" I held up a hand, "Don't answer that."

I watched in exasperation as he returned to his seat as if he didn't just almost kill the Northern Lord.

Byakuya was still tense as he took a seat next to me and away from Sesshoumaru.

"I think now would be a good time for answers, Kagome." His voice was difficult to decipher. I couldn't tell what he was feeling. Hell, I don't think _he_ could tell what he was feeling.

"Yes, imouto, answers would be welcome. You can start with why I am here." My Alpha's voice booked no argument.

I massaged my temples in thought, "I was attacked." I regretted that choice of words the moment they left my mouth as.

Sesshoumaru snarled and looked at me with red tinted eyes. "Explain."

I bared my neck. He growled and nodded before demanding that I continue.

"The attack wasn't conventional." I struggled with my next statement. "Have you heard of inanimate objects being turned into weapons? The guy that attacked me, he turned his bookmark into a katana and attacked me with it." I grinned, "Not that he did much any damage."

Byakuya put a hand on my shoulder, "Kagome, you came home and passed out as soon as you walked in. I can hardly call that 'not much damage.'"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head ever so slightly, "I must agree with the Shinigami. If it wasn't much damage, the West would not have seen fit to grant your request of summoning me and hold off whatever was done to you. Know this Kagome, you may ask something of the West, but it never grants anything unless it sees fit. You must have been in great danger for it to have passed on your summons. Tell me what he did."

I huffed, "Yes, because being cut with a weapon that doesn't cut is extremely damaging, ne Sesshoumaru-_sama._"

His eyes narrowed, "You forget the Tenseiga does not cut the _living_. It works only for the dead. I have not had need of Otou-sama's kiba in many centuries. Remember, just because a weapon does not cut does not mean it cannot cause damage. Now explain before This One forces you, Miko."

I tried to glare at him only to be brought out of my thoughts when Byakuya called my name, "Kagome, he's right. Appearances can be deceiving."

I sighed as I lift up my shirt, "This is where he cut me. There was no blood and no wound. I did feel him try to implant himself into my past; like he was trying to become a part of it. It didn't work out so well. I'm broken; you can't fill a cup to the brim if there are holes everywhere." I shrugged as though my last sentence didn't mean anything.

"Kagome, you're not broken." Byakuya's voice was concern.

"She is." Sesshoumaru said without any delicacy that many would try to have. I rolled my eyes. "So long as my _otouto's_ bitch lives, Kagome will never be whole. I told you years ago to end her half life, but you chose otherwise. Do not regret those actions now."

"Kagome?" Byakuya was completely lost.

"Let me finish this story and we'll get to all the confusing stuff later." I took a deep breathe, "When he stabbed my side, I felt a push coming from him. It was odd, but I also felt a push coming from me. I knew it wasn't me though. I knew it was the West. All I know is that when I started coming home, the Shikon no Tama began merging with me."

I put my head down when Sesshou-Aniki growled, "That bauble has caused far too much trouble for all its worthlessness. This Sesshoumaru will not have his pack in danger for such a petty thing."

I nodded, "It's too late; he caused the merging. I would have given it to you to hide, but I will not pass on that responsibility to anyone. I don't know if it will create another Naraku or worse." I sighed, "You helped complete the merging." I looked him in the eyes as they narrowed at my chest.

A moan from the floor drew our attention. When nothing else happened, we continued.

"Can you tell me what exactly is going on? How do you know about the Shikon no Tama?" Byakuya's voice was hard.

I looked at Sesshou and he raised a brow, making me glare. I sighed, "What do you know of the Shikon no Tama?"

Byakuya frowned, "Why does it matter?"

I sighed, "Byakuya now is not the time for being arrogant. What do you know?"

"It is a tama of immense power said to have been created centuries ago. We don't know its origins nor do we know what happened to it. Our research department has been looking for it for many years. It can increase the strength of whoever holds it and can grant any wish free of consequences. It is the ultimate source of power that doesn't take anything in return." He looked to the side in thought, "At least, that's what the 12th Division clown Kurotsuchi says."

I couldn't help it, I laughed and laughed hard! So hard, in fact, that I almost fell on the floor. Unfortunately, a rather sudden smack to the back of my head caused an abrupt stop to my amusement.

Looking at Sesshoumaru, I glared as I cradled my head in my arms, causing him to raise a brow as if saying _'You truly have taken leave of your senses.'_

"It was created by the first Miko named Midoriko. She is, was, the Mother of all Miko. She was the first Miko. During her journey, she fought many youkai. Her final battle occurred because she was ambushed. Her final battle lasted for seven days and nights. A ningen man had desired Midoriko, but due to status, he couldn't act on his desires. He allowed himself to become consumed by youkai who had a desire for her as well. The youkai, however, desired her blood on their hands not her heart like the ningen man. During the battle, they managed to ensnare Midoriko in their jaws. Not one to give up, Midoriko, forced out the youkai's soul and her own soul from their respective bodies. While their physical bodies died, their souls combined to create the Shikon no Tama."

I put a hand over the spot the Tama had embedded itself before merging. Mentally shaking my head, I asked, "What do you know of the tale of the hanyou, Naraku?"

Byakuya shook his head, "Nothing."

I sighed; _this is going to be a long day._ "Alright, I'll tell you whatever I know. It was a dark and stormy night…" A hit to the back of my head, courtesy of Sesshoumaru, not that he would ever admit it, made me stop. "Hey! It could have been for all you know!"

I felt another smack to my head. Since I didn't see him move, like usual, I complained, "Fine! Sheesh, stop hitting me!" I glared at him and he merely raised that damnable brow again. Huffing, I started over, "It was my fifteen birthday and I went into our shrine's well house looking for my cat, Buyo."

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><p>"...Next thing I know, I'm at the bottom of our well in a bloody heap. It was easy for me to accept that I wasn't going back. I knew I wasn't going to return, so I said my good-byes when I got the chance."<p>

I was almost shaking. Having to speak about…Inuyasha…to Byakuya. I didn't want to have to ever tell him about that part of my life.

A hand on my shoulder caught my attention and I looked up to see Sesshoumaru with a frown on his face. Before I had the chance to ask, he turned to the ryuu that had been on my floor and we heard groaning.

"He is waking. This One will not have you speaking of this while he is here. While This Sesshoumaru is allied with the North, I would not trust such a young Lord. He does not know the hardships we have gone through, so he willingly flaps his tongue as if he were the hanyou." His eyes narrowed as he remembered his unfortunate excuse for a half-brother.

Sesshoumaru stood and made his way to the young ryuu, "Have you learned your lesson, Ryuujin? It does not surprise This Sesshoumaru that you would speak so freely. You have yet to learn what it means to have honor."

I frozen in my seat as the temperature in the room dropped. "This Sesshoumaru would have once killed you for your foolishness. The only thing stopping This One is the idea of disgracing my imouto's home with your blood. For it is too filthy to be shed, thereby not only tainting my claws, but her floors. She is above you in every way." He sneered in a way that many would wish to accomplish, "It is unfortunate to see a fellow Lord groveling. Get off the floor and keep silent. You were told this matter pertained to the West. If we are fortunate, this will teach you to keep your nose out of the business of your betters, hatchling."

I watched as Ryuujin slowly stood up and began growling at my Alpha, "You have gone too far, Sesshoumaru. This One will have your head and the head of your little whore soon."

I flung us back into the corner and called upon the power of the Tama to reinforce my barriers, yet again.

When Sesshoumaru's youki flared, I heard Byakuya fall to his knees. Calling Soukyoku, I used his blade as a mirror to see the fallen captain almost being crushed by the weight of my Aniki's youki.

I grimaced with Ryuujin's youki flared and heard the labored breathing of my Taichou. Ignoring that train of thought, I stepped out of my barrier and flared my miko-ki.

I was nearly breathless in surprise as I felt it soar to new heights. When both Daiyoukai looked at me with red tinged eyes, my own narrowed. A katana appeared in my left hand and I instinctively knew it was Junsui Shikei, the katana Sesshoumaru had given me. I crouched defensively in front of my barrier and waited.

I raised both weapons as Ryuujin attacked, only to have Sesshoumaru step in the way and throw him to the other end of the living room. I grimaced as I felt my barrier fluctuate to distribute energy from the crash.

Ryuujin launched himself and tackled Sesshoumaru, clipping his side as he swiped his talons. Seeing an opening, he ran at me. I held up Soukyoku and swung with Junsui Shikei, missing the enraged ryuu. I smirked when he jumped back, straight into the waiting claws of my Aniki.

His dokkasou quickly put him to sleep and I winced as he threw him against the wall for extra, sadistic, pleasure…I mean, measure.

Facing him, I stayed in my position till I heard his growl for my submission. Ever so slowly, I bared my neck. I held perfectly still as he came to me and nuzzled my neck, giving it a lick for affection. I felt him sniffing my neck and I heard a coarse chuckle, "Imouto has found herself a mate." His red tinged eyes peered into my stormy ones and I wanted to blush.

He leaned close and gave me a lick on the cheek, which made me jump and squeal only to find myself face-to-face with my Aniki and his damn brow raised.

I mumbled about nosy inus and their stupid sense of smell before looking back at the ryuu unconscious on my floor once again. Turning back to Byakuya, I ran to his side diminishing my barrier.

Cradling his head on my lap, I freaked, "Byakuya, are you okay?" Sure, it was a stupid question to ask, but I couldn't help it! That's the first thing that popped into my head!

"Byakuya! Wake up! Byakuya! Please, wake up." I felt me eyes water.

"Miko, he needs rest. He is not used to being exposed to youki like you are."

I couldn't speak, so I simply nodded and picked him up and began walking to his room. After setting under the blankets, I went back to the living room and came face to face with ten more youkai that I'm pretty sure I'd never seen before.

Before I had the chance to act, Sesshoumaru was at my side with a hand on my shoulder to keep me calm.

Looking up at him, I asked what was happening.

His eyes shone with amusement, "This Sesshoumaru had to inform the other Lords of what has occurred. They sent a few youkai to take the young Lord back home."

He paused when a young neko youkai came to a stop in front of us. He glared at me before bowing to my Aniki, "Sesshoumaru-sama, we will be taking Ryuujin-sama with us now. If you wouldn't mind accompanying us to Council, we would be most gracious." He bowed once again, but not before sending a glare full of hate and malice in my direction.

I raised a brow, in honor of Sesshoumaru, and looked in said inu's direction. "Do you have a problem with the Miko?" His voice was cold, but I heard the amusement and resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

The neko stiffened, "No, mi-Lord. I have no problem with the Miko."

As he began walking away, I chuckled and turned to Sesshoumaru, "You enjoy instilling fear into people don't you?"

His look made my eye twitch, "This One knows not of which you speak, Miko." The amusement was clear in his voice.

The urge to smack _him_ on the back of the head became so overwhelming, that the only thing that kept me from doing it was the thought of him sending me to the dojo to see if I had gotten rusty in the time I had been home. The thought alone made me shudder. His chuckling made me freeze in fear at the thought of him possibly being able to hear those thoughts. The look on his face when he closed my door said he knew _exactly_ what I was thinking.

Opting to not wallow I fear of that arrogant inu, I went to Byakuya's room and snuggled under the blankets with him and Kirara, hoping to be able to have this time to ourselves and be able to cherish the memory for the rest of my life.

I smiled as I curled around him with Kirara on his chest. It felt good to be able to touch him as I went to sleep right beside him. I planned on enjoying our last night together, even if he was unconscious for it. Hopefully he wouldn't be; it was only mid-afternoon.

I didn't even want to think about what occurred in the short time since my Alpha had arrived and left.

Ignoring everything else, I let sleep take me into its clutches praying for a dreamless night.

Sadly, that prayer went unanswered.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey! Sorry this has taken so long to upload! My evil nemesis "writer's block" had returned! Milkshake-sama was not much help unless glaring at me at odd odd hours of the day counts as helping. I hope you enjoyed my chapter! Please review and spread the love! Yes, flames are accepted! I want to see the worst people can do, because I can probably guarantee that I can do worse! It would be amusing to read! Like I said, please review my lovely readers! You're what keeps me writing!**

**Lots of Love:**

**-Demented**

**+ Dokkasou:** Toxic Flower Claw

**+ Kiba:** Fang

**+ Soukyoku:** Twinned Punishment

**+ Junsui Shikei:** Pure Death


	23. Chapter 23: Interesting Reunions

Chapter 23: Interesting Reunions

Byakuya woke to something warm surrounding him. Mentally catching his bearings, he looked down to see Kirara curled up on his chest. He smiled at the little neko, then frowned when he realized that she was not large enough to be providing so much warmth.

When he tried to sit up, he found a great deal of weight on his right side. Turning, his eyes widened when he found the little Miko curled up with her head on his chest. He wanted to smile till he noticed her strained expression.

Gently moving Kirara onto the pillow next to his head, he curled around Kagome and brought her as close to him as he could; hoping to keep her safe, even in her nightmares. Kissing her on the forehead, he allowed himself to return to a light slumber, where he waited for her to awaken again.

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><p>My dream was a reminder of my life before. While I loathed the reunion we had with that damnable hanyou…Inuyasha, I had found it quite amusing.<p>

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I was practicing my kata in the dojo when Sesshoumaru came in and attacked. Immediately, I was on the defensive; parrying and dodging, jumping and swinging.

He abruptly stopped and looked at me with an unreadable expression on his face. "You are ready to return."

I smiled happily, till I noticed he didn't share the same enthusiasm of me being ready. Okay, so it's not like it was easy to tell, but being with the youkai, for so long, you learn each "facial expression."

"What's wrong?" I knew I wasn't going to like the answer.

"The hanyou will be there. You will not be able to hide from him."

I groaned, "I had forgotten all about that thing."

I heard him chuckle, "It will be an interesting reunion." I made a face and he continued, "If the hanyou displeases you in any way, put him in his place." I saw a look in his eye that would have scared me before, especially when I knew what that look meant…it meant someone would be in pain very soon.

I sighed, "Mou, why couldn't he just jump off a cliff into shark infested waters and leave the rest of us alone?"

His eye brow rose, "Miko, you are not usually so…violent." He had a different look in his eyes when he asked, "What has changed you so?"

I glared at him, "As if you don't know! I spent way to much time with the 'Killing Perfection,' the 'Destruction of the Circle of Life.' I blame you for those 'oh so happy' thoughts."

He chuckled at me, "Come now, little Miko, it is time to gather our things. We return to the others on the marrow at first light."

I wanted to stomp my foot and say no, but having done that before and not liking the outcome, I decided against it and reluctantly followed him out the dojo.

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The flight back was tense without Rin to lighten the mood, she had been left in the village when Sesshoumaru took me to his home so she could be reintroduced into a ningen village that would not think anything of her having been raised by a youkai.

I looked ahead and found we were almost at the village, "Sesshoumaru-sama?" He moved his head ever so slightly to show he was listening, "What should I do about the hanyou? I mean, I know you said to put him in his place, but…" I trailed off, unsure how to actually ask my question.

"This Sesshoumaru did not train you to cower. Do what you must to put him in his place. Ignore him, reprimand him, or beat him. The choice is yours." He said indifferently.

I wanted to groan at how unhelpful that was. Instead, I sighed.

_Wait, did he say _beat_ him?_ That thought, somehow made me feel a whole lot better.

I continued to explore different ways of getting that baka to leave me alone. Finally getting a plan in my head, I grinned just as we set down from our flight.

Jumping off Ah-Un, I stood beside the stoic inu. "How should we make our grand entrance?" I asked teasingly.

He raised a brow and gave a rather disturbing smile. It was a smile I had seen on more than one occasion. When that smile was pointed at me, there were not "fight or flight" reflexes involved; it was entirely flight. Yup, I wanted to run as far away from this male as I could.

"Oh no, whatever it is that made you smile like _that_ is not happening!" I turned and ran. Was it the wise to run from the _inu_ that is the very definition of a predator? Maybe not. Did that little tidbit stop me from running away? Obviously not.

I heard him chuckle as he gave chase, "Come now, little Miko. What has you so afraid that you would run from This Sesshoumaru?" I swear his voice was right by my ear even if I didn't sense him there.

"I know what that look means, you overgrown inu!" I jumped at the end of my sentence as I sensed something aiming for my legs.

There was more chuckling right next to me and, in retrospect, it probably wasn't the brightest idea to insult the deranged alpha male behind me.

I heard the tell tale sign of a sword being drawn and I pushed off to the side as I continued my way to the village. Seeing the opening to the village up ahead, I grinned and pushed off to the side yet again.

"Impressive, little Miko. Your coordination has improved." A whirl made me twirl and draw my katana.

A clang reverberated through the forest silencing everything. A feral grin was on his face before a bright yellow light followed by a shout of "Kaze no Kizu!"

Standing straight, I held Junsui Shikei above my head and called forth an attack, "Zettai Teitai."

The very air around me froze and became stale. Time seemed to slow, causing the approaching attack to dim and shrink. As the Kaze no Kizu froze directly in front of me, the yellow energy that flowed shattered harmlessly as the air began to circulate once again. I smiled at my progress. The attack was still a little incomplete, but it was better than was expected.

I returned my katana to its sheath on my back and glanced at Sesshoumaru from the corner of my eye. His stoic mask was back in place, so I stuck my hand in my sleeves like I'd seen others do on occasion. I was so glad he had forced me to change my attire.

I felt far more comfortable in the Miko garbs he had gifted me. He had had them modified for battle and it made me almost glow with pride that he felt me important enough to be gifted with his family colors. The braid in my hair had also been a testament to him; and not wanting it to get in the way when I trained. He liked the idea and told me to "make sure that unruly hair stayed out of the way or it would be cut."

"Prepare yourself, Miko." He voice was distant and cold. In that moment, I hated Inuyasha for forcing Sesshoumaru to distance himself from me.

I nodded and turned to face the other way as the hanyou raced to our location.

"Sesshoumaru, you bastard," was the cry that spilled from his vulgar lips. I felt myself want to puke at just hearing his voice. _What in my right mind…never mind, I wasn't _in_ my right mind at the time…thank the Kami that changed._

I could practically feel his eye brow lift and I stifled a chuckle. _An interesting reunion indeed._

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Inuyasha was trying to talk to Sango and Miroku to ask why the well wasn't working anymore. When he tried to go back a second time, the well wouldn't let him through. He had tried numerous other times to go through, but none of them had worked.

He had even tried to get Kikyo to open the well. It's safe to say that that hadn't gone particularly well. When she had asked why it mattered, more like demanded, he had tried to placate her by telling her the wench needed to find the shards for him. She wasn't important enough to be needed for anything else.

Sango and Miroku weren't being very cooperative. When he kept questioning them, they looked at him and said that if they knew, they still wouldn't tell him. It was irrelevant to ask them for any information pertaining to Kagome. They had been adamant about not saying anything and questioning him as to why it was so important since he had his clay mate to help him with anything.

He was pissed that it was taking Kagome so long to get over whatever the hell it was that she was trying to get over. It's not like he did anything wrong. The bitch was just too sensitive. He internally groaned with disgust at what he was going to have to do to get back on her good side. The thought of being remotely intimate what the bitch made his skin crawl.

He glanced at Kikyo from the corner of his eye and held back a smile. His mate was definitely much better than that useless thing any day of the week. Even if Kikyo couldn't see the shards, she was still far better.

He sighed at another failed attempt to get information from his so-called friends. Just then, he smelled sandalwood, metallic acid, and a thunderstorm. A scent he knew to be distinctly Sesshoumaru's. He caught another scent laced with his. Fire, purity like he'd never smelled before, and just the perfect hint of sakura. That sakura added the magic touch and made that particular scent extremely appealing.

What made him start was the sound of running. When he heard to weapon connect, he frowned and released his own attack, in the vain hope that it would hit Sesshoumaru.

He heard a low deep yet feminine voice say something he couldn't understand. He, along with everyone following him, paused when the Kaze no Kizu seemed to slow to a stop. Suddenly, the attack shattered harmlessly, as though it were made of glass. It made the Kaze no Kizu look like child's play.

Inuyasha was speechless as he almost dropped the Tetsusaiga, so he said the only thing that came to mind, "Sesshoumaru, you bastard!"

Whoever was on the other end of that attack was not someone he wanted to face. Sesshoumaru, he could handle; the other person, he wasn't so sure.

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Sango looked over at Miroku when Inuyasha's attack was obliterated. Fear was evident on both their faces. "Miroku, do you think-" her voice trailed off.

He returned her anxious look. "I do not know, Sango. Let us hope it is nothing dangerous."

While they were both afraid this would bring yet another enemy, they were grateful for the diversion from Inuyasha's constant pestering. The couple had needed the reprieve from the hanyou's constant tenacity. He had been driving them insane the entire time he had returned; and that had not been a couple of weeks. No, irate hanyou had returned a whole _four and a half months_ ago.

On more than one occasion, Sango had been more than tempted to exterminate him. Miroku had found himself calling on more patience than he even knew he had. The kazaana had been itching for hanyou far too often and he has more than willing to oblige.

It was thoughts of needing the Tetsusaiga to defeat Naraku that stayed both their hands. Well, that and the newly mated pair weren't welcomed in the village that had become their sanctuary and their prison.

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Sesshoumaru had watched as she turned around. Raising a brow in question, he knew he wasn't going to get an answer to, he continued to wait for the approach of the hanyou that he had the unfortunate fate to share his blood with. It disgusted him every single time anything that had to do with the ingrate was presented to him, it took everything in him not kill something on sight.

"Sesshoumaru, you bastard!" Inuyasha's voice made his blood pressure nearly sky rocket as other thoughts came with the hanyou's approach.

What made matters worse was the sheer lack of honor Inuyasha had. When he tried asking the little Miko at his side what Inuyasha had done to warrant such hostility from her, she stilled her tongue faster than Jaken's deplorable squawking, if it could be called that, could grate his nerves. That was saying something.

Don't get him started on the hanyou's stench. While the scent of trees and grass would normally be welcoming to his more beastly persona, Inuyasha managed to turn that into something to detest. Especially when shrouded in death, bones, graveyard soil, and the scent of far too many ruts. The hygiene impaired creature refused to bath. It was a scent that always made his nose ache.

Then there was his disposition. The hanyou not only had vulgar language, but he didn't have any brains to temper his stupidity. He wouldn't claim the ningen blood as a taint, but it certainly didn't add any intelligence that most youkai perceived as common sense. To be that stupid made Sesshoumaru's skin crawl. No one should be that intellectually deficient and still live.

It had amazed him that Inuyasha had lived for as long as he had. Since he obviously didn't have the brains for it, his survival was a testament to the blood of their Otou-sama running through his veins.

Sesshoumaru's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the creature he refused to call family.

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When I finally felt Inuyasha arrive at our location, I sighed and waited for the fireworks to start. I wasn't disappointed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" The demand was harsh and expected an answer, not that I wanted to answer.

I waited for my, oh so loving, Alpha to answer.

"Tell me, _Inuyasha,_ where is the Miko?" It was a simple question. It made me want to look at Sesshoumaru to see what he was plotting, but I decided against it. I wanted to know what Inuyasha would say.

"Leave Kikyo out of this." Venom and a promise of pain laced very word.

"The name brings vague recognition." There was a pregnant pause just to piss off the already irritated hanyou and it made me want to laugh. "Ah yes, This Sesshoumaru remembers the name; although, he highly doubts she is a Miko. No, he was referring to the Miko who often brings gifts for Rin."

The sneer was evident in his voice, "Don't tell me, _hanyou_, that you have lost her? What kind of protector looses his ward?" His billowing hair told me he had raked his claws through the silky, silver goodness.

_Lucky hand,_ I cursed just as Inuyasha growled, "I didn't lose the ungrateful bitch! She fucking ran away like the fat coward that she is!"

I rolled my eyes and started imagining food. That was a much better way to spend my time than listening to his attempts at down playing my importance. Mochi ice cream right after a nice _big_ bowl of oden was taking over my thoughts. That sounded absolutely delicious! Maybe I'll have some when I go home.

"Poor little hanyou, the Miko is no bitch; she has no inu blood in her." He spoke as if admonishing a young child, "This Sesshoumaru supposes that is what happens when one is hanyou who has had no exposure to his own kind, he cannot tell the difference."

Inuyasha growled with hatred, "Fuck you, Sesshoumaru!" His brandished Tetsusaiga.

"To even suggest such a thing is proof of your already disgraceful behavior. Isn't that what you have the golem for? This One does not think she would like to share your worthless hide with another and my companion would agree that the idea is entirely distasteful." I knew Sesshoumaru could sound condescending, he had done so on many occasions, but this was something else entirely.

That did it, I coughed to try and cover my laughter. It wasn't working so I put my hand over my mouth and tried to keep it from escaping.

I heard Inuyasha give an impressive shriek as Sango and Miroku did what they could to stifle their own laughter.

"You arrogant bastard-"

"Hanyou, once again, This One must correct you in saying you are the only bastard here." I could tell he was enjoying every moment. It made me wonder if he makes these insults up on the spot or if he has a giant list already prepared…it wouldn't surprise me if it were the latter.

Inuyasha growled before launching himself at his nii-san. I jumping in front of my Alpha with my katana barely out of its sheath and blocked the attack. Mirth prominent in my eyes as I gazed up at my secret Aniki.

"Who the fuck are you?" Inuyasha's voice not to far from me.

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched and I smiled brightly. He was having fun!

"This One recalls mentioning a companion." He looked behind me with a bored expression.

Thankfully my bangs had grown to cover most of my face. With that in mind, I did a back kick before swinging the katana at the hanyou.

"Wow, Sesshoumaru, getting someone to fight your battles now? And you call me pathetic."

He scoffed, "This battle was never mine to fight, hanyou."

So much for not letting him know I could fight. Jumping back to my original spot, I asked in voice only Sesshoumaru could hear, "Can I go visit my family now?"

The slightest nod and I was gone back to my side of the well.

* * *

><p>I woke to find myself in the arms of the Shinigami that Sesshoumaru had been teasing me about. I had to admit, I wouldn't mind waking up like this every day. As I tried to snuggle further into his side, I heard a chuckle. Slowly looking up, I was surprised to see him awake.<p>

"Hey." I said with a sleepy voice.

"Hello." His voice made me want to shiver in pleasure.

"Are you okay? I know you're probably not used to the amount of youki that was being released. Sorry about that. The mess is gone though." I smiled.

Byakuya chuckled again. "It was interesting. I have never had such an experience."

I nodded, "It takes some getting used to." My eyes drifted to his lips and I remembered the kiss. Man did he taste good.

Without realizing what I was doing, my lips connected with his. We pulled each other so close, it was uncomfortable with our clothes in the way. I wanted to feel his skin in mine. I wanted to feel his hands just as mine wanted to feel him.

Pushing him onto his back, neither of us noticed Kirara leave as our focus was only each other. My hands started pushing his clothes out of the way to roam freely across his chest. After straddling him, I made my way from his lips down to jaw, painstakingly slow.

Before I knew what was happening, I had been pushed on my back and our lips were once again connected.

We were both so involved in one another, that the next time we were able to make coherent thoughts was well into the morning. That night we had danced a dance as old as time itself and I knew that I would never be able to regret ever being with him. What I wasn't prepared for was the news I would receive after he was gone.

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><p><strong>AN: Well my lovely readers, there you have it! Kagome and Byakuya have finally slept together! I know you guys wanted some hot steamy lemons, but I don't think I have the confidence to write one. I think I barely had the make-out scene done correctly. Please review you lovely peoples and spread the happiness if you liked the chapter. :)**

**Much Love and Many Thanks:**

**-Demented and Milkshake-sama**

**+ Kaze no Kizu:** Wound of the Wind;

**-** **English Dub:** Wind Scar

**+ Zettai Teitai: **Absolute Stagnation


	24. Chapter 24: I Hated Him For…

Chapter 24: I Hated Him For…

I woke up, vaguely aware of where I was. It took me a moment to realize that I wasn't in my room.

A warm arm over my stomach drew my attention. I turned to look at my sleeping Shinigami, smiling. Remembering last night left me blissfully content. I began kissing his chest and slowly made my way up his neck. A groan escaped him and I had to smirk with the knowledge that I was able to cause him to make those delicious sounds. My hands once again roamed his perfect body. I positioned myself over his stomach and continued to kiss the man that had made me love him without ever taking notice of it.

Another groan from him made my pride soar. My roaming hands were caught by his as he pushed my off him, only for him to straddle me. "Come now, Kagome, we have plenty of time for desert after breakfast." He grinned as I pouted.

"We could always skip breakfast." My voice came out huskier than I had planned, not that it bothered me. "Desert sounds much more appealing at the moment."

It took some coaxing, but when he finally succeeded in convincing me. I tried to pout the entire time I made breakfast, but him stroking my hips and planting kisses on my neck made my mood significantly better. Desert before breakfast was sounding far more appealing every minute, but my stupid stomach had to interrupt us. He chuckled and gave me one last lingering kiss, before we both sat down to eat.

We had just finished enjoying breakfast, when a knock came from my door. We both felt apprehension and dread fill our stomachs. I had vowed not to cry when he left, so instead, I smiled. "I'll be right back."

I opened the door and knew this was it. This was the end of our time together. I knew I didn't regret any of it; and that's what made me happy.

I admit I wasn't surprised when I saw Urahara and Kenpachi at my door. They both looked like they didn't want to be the ones to bare the news.

I smiled, "He's in the dining room." I moved to the side and waved them in. after the went to the dining room, I leaned against the door and looked down to see Kirara staring at me with sympathy. She knew what was happening and she didn't like it; I could tell.

I felt my eyes begin to sting and knew it was only a matter of time before I started crying. Her meow drew my attention and I crouched down to pick her up. She walked into my arms, so I hid my face in her fur and let her purr sooth me. I smiled in to her fur and gave her a quick kiss before removing my face. She nuzzled my neck as I stood and made my way to the others.

The silence was prominent when I entered. A purring Kirara eased some of the tension when I looked down and smiled at her. Nodding, I looked up, "Can I go with you? Just until you leave, I mean."

Byakuya's cold façade had returned; I felt something inside crack, I didn't know what it was, but I knew I didn't like it. Either way, he nodded.

I tried not to sigh, "Come on, Kirara. I need to go change, then we can go." Her purring increased as she wrapped her tails around herself. I giggled as she licked my cheek when we started leaving.

* * *

><p>Byakuya looked over at the former taichou. "You must have come for a reason."<p>

Urahara nodded and sat in Kagome's chair, "Sou-taichou has been demanding that you return for some time." He said in an off handed manner..

Kenpachi grinned, "Ah, the old geezer has been on my ass for the past week."

Byakuya merely looked at the deranged taichou, "Hn."

Urahara sighed, "So, how do you know Kagome-chan?"

Byakuya's gaze fell upon the man that had spoken, "It is not important."

Urahara sighed, _poor Kagome-chan._ He glanced at the stoic taichou from the corner of his eye and held back yet another sigh. Then he thought back to the strange energy radiating off the young onna and her neko. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what kind of energy it was. He remembered not too long ago a release of the purest reiatsu he'd ever felt. He didn't know where it came from nor where it went, but what he felt coming from the petite onna had him thinking.

Her neko was no different. He felt something dark, not unlike a hollow. The neko looked harmless enough, but what he felt flowing off it made him second guess those thoughts. He didn't know what they were, but he wanted to find out.

He glanced at both taichou, "So, what exactly _is_ Kagome-chan?" He asked as though it didn't matter, but both men knew otherwise.

If the former head of the Research Department was asking questions, then he would be on the hunt for answers.

Kenpachi shrugged, "Don't care."

Byakuya had a little more tact, or should it be said that he didn't elaborate his answer, "Hn."

Urahara frowned. He knew the taichou knew. How could they spend time with her and not know.

* * *

><p>While I changed, I thought about what was going to happen to me from now on. With the Tama no longer an issue, I felt weird. I didn't know what to do with myself in a spiritual sense. My entire life had begun to revolve around the damn thing.<p>

I paused in the middle of pulling on my top and frowned. Sensing closer, I still felt the energy of the Tama.

My eyes widened; it just lost its corporeal form. _Oh no._

Yes, it was in the middle of changing my clothes that I realized, the Tama didn't merge and become a part of me, it merged and turned me into its new physical form. I groaned at the knowledge and knew I had to call Sesshoumaru as soon as possible.

Dropping my head, I sighed then looked at Kirara from the corner of my eye, "You knew didn't you?" I asked in a resigned voice.

All she could do was nod.

_Well, there's nothing I can do about it;_ I thought as I finished putting on my shirt. I looked at her once more before picking her up and making my way restroom to finish getting ready.

* * *

><p>The walk to wherever we were going was so tense that I honestly felt like screaming. I couldn't help the rather noticeable fluctuation in my aura as my irritation got the best of me.<p>

I didn't notice the men beside me stiffen. What I did notice was the vicious hiss Kirara sent my way. I looked down and saw her glaring at me with anger.

"What?" I asked in irritation. "You can't expect me to be calm can you?"

I felt the full weight of Byakuya's glare and I turned to him, "Don't give me that look! It feels like we're walking to our deaths! No one is talking and you guys are as stiff as Sesshou-Aniki! I hate silences, especially if they're tense." I glared my Shinigami.

Our silent, but ironic, battle was interrupted by a laughing Kenpachi. "Higurashi! The priss is never relaxed! The stick up his ass won't let him." He gave his shark grin and kept walking.

Byakuya glared at him over my head and I frowned, "Don't make me send you with your new friend."

I heard an impressive growl coming from the overly large man and smiled innocently up at him, "Yes?"

He glared, only to keep walking as if I didn't exist. It made me smirk.

Turning to Byakuya, I smiled only to be met with a stoic face. It made me sad. He shouldn't have to be so guarded, but I knew he wouldn't be any other way. Private was one thing, public was a whole other topic all together.

I sighed as I faced forward and kept walking. I never even noticed the look I got from Urahara.

* * *

><p>We arrived at the shop and Urahara looked at me, "Gomen, Kagome-chan. This is where they say good-"<p>

"I'm seeing him off. You aren't going to change my mind." My tone would have made Aniki proud.

"Leave her, Kisuke." Byakuya said in a rather off-handed manner.

He shrugged, "Alright." He glanced into the shop and called for the others that were hiding out in there.

I watched as Ikkaku, Renji, Yumichika, Yachiru, and Renji made their way out of the little shop. I smiled at the sight of the chibi-Shinigami. "Yachiru-chan." I called out.

Next thing I know, I'm looking up at the sky with weight on my stomach, "Hika-chan! How are you?" The voice was young and a bit squeaky but adorable non-the-less.

"Yachiru." Kenpachi's voice was gravelly and commanding, "We're leaving."

Just like that, the weight disappeared and I rose, dusting off my backside.

A strange door appeared before us and I whistled, "Impressive." Black butterflies came out before flying to each individual and returning as they followed.

Before Byakuya had a chance to move, I grabbed his had making him face me. I looked into his eyes searching for something. When I found what I wanted, I nodded. "I don't know if I'll ever see you again, but if you do come back while I'm still here, you know where to find me."

Not once did his gaze lighten or shift. I sighed. I brought our lips together for the last time and poured everything I was into the kiss. It took a moment, but he returned it in kind. Breaking apart, our foreheads rested on each other and I smiled, "I'm serious, don't be a stranger."

Releasing him, I tried to cradle Kirara, but she jumped out of my arms and onto his shoulder and nuzzled his neck. I saw his lips twitch and smiled as he reluctantly brought his hand up to give her a pick pat on the head before depositing her in my arms once more. He nodded once and turned. There he went and I smiled.

When the door closed, I turned to Urahara and noticed his rather lecherous grin. I scowled, "Wipe that off your face, hentai!" I held Kirara closer to me in an effort to somehow cover myself up.

His grin widened, "I have no idea what you're talking about!" He said cheerily.

As he began he trek to his door, I called out, "Wait!"

He paused. "I need to ask you something."

He opened his fan as he faced me, "Oh, and how can I help?" The way he said those words made me pause.

"I need some place to train. I know you have an underground training room. I need access to it."

He became serious, "And how do you know about that?"

I looked at him and smirked, "I know a lot of things. Are you going to let me in there or am I going to have to find my own way in?"

He frowned, but nodded. When he waved, I followed but held Kirara a little tighter. At her meow, I looked down and smiled. "We can train together, ne Kirara?" She purred and I nuzzled her while trying to walk without running into anything.

When he opened a hatch in the floor, I looked at him with a brow raised. "It's down there. Would you like me to help you train?"

My eyes narrowed, "No, I think it would be best for me to train alone."

He looked at me suspiciously, "And why would I let you go down there alone?" He paused, "I'm curious as to why it has to be alone."

I gave him a sly grin, "Now what would be the surprise in that?"

He seemed to scoff, "Fine, be secretive. I'll find out sooner or later." He waved, "Go on, go on. Can I at least know how long you'll be down there?"

I tilted my head to the side, "When I find out, so will you." I looked down and whistled, "That's a really long way down." I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, "When I jump, close the door." Before he had the chance to do anything, I grabbed the latch and yanked it down when I jumped.

I used some of my miko-ki to seal the latch shut. Tossing Kirara, she transformed and down we went in neko style.

When we landed, I jumped off and looked around. By the looks of this place, it had definitely been used for intense training. This place was perfect.

I looked at a transformed Kirara, "Now what do I do?"

She looked at me in exasperation. "It wasn't exactly explained to me you know. They just said-" next thing I know, I'm looking at Soukyoku.

"Little One." He glanced at Kirara and started petting her. Her purring made me roll my eyes. "I cannot sustain this form for long on my own. You will become stronger in time, until then, I will lend what strength I can to appear in the real world."

* * *

><p>I threw the trap door open with what was left of my energy as I pulled myself out. Kirara's meow drew my attention. "That's not fair, you have more energy than I do." I saw her mirth in her eyes and I growled. Sadly, she was just too cute to stay mad at.<p>

Closing the latch and noticing no one was around, I shrugged and began my unfortunate journey home. My limbs didn't ache like they would with soreness, but they did ache with exhaustion. Kirara had decided that sitting on my shoulder was a great idea and her weight, which was rather insignificant in her chibi form, felt like a ton of bricks. Soukyoku had given her a workout Sesshoumaru would be satisfied with; not proud, but satisfied.

Putting my head phones in, after realizing I actually had them, I nodded my head to the beat. It wasn't overly loud, but it was loud enough to be hear over most people I walked by.

It was in the middle of one of my favorite songs that I bumped into someone. Pulling off my head phones, I looked up to apologize and my breathe lodged itself in my throat. I was frozen for who knows how long. It was his voice that got me moving. I didn't care how tired I was from training, the moment he gasped out my name, I ran as fast as I could away from him.

Kirara didn't exactly appreciate being jarred from her position, but growled when she realized I was running.

"Kagome! Kagome, come back!" His voice was louder than the pounding in my ears.

I didn't chance a look back; I couldn't.

"Kagome, stop running!" His voice sounded closer. Pushing my tired self harder, I rounded a corner. Catching Kirara before she had the chance to fall, I clutched her to my chest and continued running.

"Kagome! Please stop!" His voice hadn't changed much over the years. It sounded a little older, but it was still recognizable.

I ran into a bunch of different people as I was trying to evade the man chasing me. Rounding the millionth corner, since he began chasing me, I turned to see heaven making his way into his car.

Flaring my miko-ki just enough to alert him to my presence, I screamed, "Aniki!"

He was just about to enter when he stopped abruptly. His eyes instantly found mine, "Aniki!" I made the mistake of looking behind me and found that he was a lot closer than I had thought.

He was no more than fifteen feet behind me and I still had a long way to go before I made it to Sesshoumaru.

Looking forward again, I found his eyes narrowed. He looked behind me at the man chasing me. I felt him closer than he was before and I knew that if I didn't do something quick, he would catch me.

Before I had the chance to act, a hand was on my arm and I was yanked back into the person who had been chasing me. I screamed, "Aniki!"

The man hugged me, "Kagome! Oh thank the Kami, Kagome. I didn't think I would catch you. Why did you run?" He sounded hurt.

I struggled against him, "Aniki!" I called for Sesshoumaru. I didn't want to be near this man. I wanted to be as far away from him as I could. He brought back bad memories. He made me remember being abandoned. Next thing I know, I'm being crushed against a hard chest as a growl makes its way to my ears in an attempt to sooth me. I turn around and hide my face in Sesshoumaru's chest, instantly knowing it was him who grabbed me.

"Imouto." He didn't need to say anything else, I heard the concern for me and the anger at the man who grabbed me.

"Aniki," I cried as I crushed both my and Kirara into his broad chest; one arm wrapped around the both of us.

"Kagome-" the man called out to me, "Kagome, get away from him." I flinched. "Kagome, I'm serious. Get away from him, he's dangerous."

I felt man people beginning to gather around us. I also felt Sesshoumaru release just enough of his youki to make the bystanders uncomfortable enough to leave. They had no business being nosy, after all. It was human instinct to get away from what could be threatening, and Sesshoumaru made them feel jittery and threatened so they filed out and went about their business.

The man called out to me again, "Kagome, listen to me! Get away from him!"

I whimpered, "Aniki."

His mere presence made me feel better, "Imouto, why does this man cause you to react so?" To everyone else, it seemed like a harsh demand, inappropriate for this situation; but to me, it sounded like he was concerned for the threat to my safety.

One moment, I'm being soothed by a growl, the next, I'm being pushed behind Sesshoumaru as he snarled at the man for coming closer than he already was. "Stay or you will regret your next actions."

"Don't tell me what to do!" He hissed, "You will release her this instant!"

"You presume to order This One?" He sneered. I could practically hear his thoughts of missing a time when there were no laws that would prevent him from striking the insolent ningen before him.

I couldn't even flinch at the cold tone he used. I was far too concerned with staying away from the man that chased me.

"You filth! Release her this instant and I won't call the police." I was shaking by this point. After all this time, I run into him now. I hated him for what he did; for all the pain he caused; for all the tears that were shed.

"Who are you to tell This One what to do?"

But most of all, I hated him for his next statement, "I am her father, filth. Return her to me and we can go our separate ways."

I had been clinging to Sesshoumaru's back and I felt him stiffen, "Is this true, Imouto? Is this man your father?"

I flinched, but nodded into his back; well aware that, while he couldn't see me, he could feel me. Nodding made it seem like a dream; as if I didn't have to admit the truth. I knew he wanted to hear me admit it. I drudged up as much courage as I could. I took a deep, yet shaky, breath. I didn't even phase me that the words were flowing from my lips, as I admitted, "Yes, Aniki. That man is my father."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: OMG! I bet you weren't expecting that! Yes, I did say he was her FATHER! Now, what do you think about what might go down between our beloved Daiyoukai, Sesshoumaru, and Kagome's father? I don't know, but certainly can't wait to find out! Please let me know what you think of that little twist!**

**Please and Thank You,**

**-Demented and Milkshake-sama**


	25. Chapter 25: It Was You

Chapter 25: It Was You

Sesshoumaru had just gotten out of a meeting and he was furious. Though one wouldn't know it from his appearance, he youki was radiating such intense anger, his driver was doing his best not to run away.

He had been planning to work off as much frustration and irritation as he could, as soon as he reached home. His dojo was calling out to him and he was itching to answer.

Just as he was about to enter his car, he heard his imouto's voice. Her frightened scream was what drew his attention. His beast rattled in its cage at her fear. The fear in her miko-ki didn't help matters at all.

He looked up and saw her eyes wide. When she turned to look behind her, he noticed the man chasing her. Her fear increased when she noticed how close the man chasing her was. When the man yanked her to his chest and she screamed, it made him narrow his eyes as he gracefully made his way to them.

The man hugged her, "Kagome! Oh thank the Kami, Kagome. I didn't think I would catch you. Why did you run?" He sounded hurt.

She struggled against him, arms flailing, trying to get him to release her. "Aniki!" She called for him.

He couldn't let her continue to be encompassed by fear so he snatched her from the other man's arms and drew her to his chest, only to feel her bury herself into it. He noticed the neko-mata had been with her the entire time and he was pleased that she hadn't gone through the ordeal alone.

"Imouto." He had no reason to speak more. He was pretty sure the damnable onna was able to read him just as expertly as his musume, Rin. Both onna had the strangest ability to be able to read him.

"Aniki." Her voice quivered as she pushed herself further into his chest. His arm automatically wound itself around her waist.

"Kagome-" the man tried to speak with urgency, "Kagome, get away from him." He felt her flinch. "Kagome, I'm serious. Get away from him, he's dangerous."

Those simple words made him want to smirk, but he resisted the urge. _If only he knew just how dangerous._ That simple thought made him glance at the onna in his arm.

He grew irritated with the audience they were attracting, thus he released just enough of his youki to make the ningen uncomfortable enough to leave. Satisfied when they were once again unbothered, he returned his attention to the matter at hand.

The insignificant ningen before him called out to her again, "Kagome, listen to me! Get away from him!" It made him want to scoff at how pathetic he sounded.

Kagome whimpered, "Aniki."

His voice was cold, yet it held that gentle caress he knew she would recognize, "Imouto, why does this man cause you to react so?"

Before she had a chance to answer, Sesshoumaru pushed her behind him as he released a snarl he couldn't suppress. "Stay or you will regret your next actions."

"Don't tell me what to do!" His hiss was far from threatening to Sesshoumaru, "You will release her this instant!"

"You presume to order This One?" He truly couldn't help the sneer that made itself known in his demand. How he wished for the time when there were no laws that would prevent him from striking the insolent ningen before him.

"You filth! Release her this instant and I won't call the police." Sesshoumaru could feel her shaking.

"Who are you to tell This One what to do?" He could honestly admit that he was curious as to whom the man before him was. He wasn't used to his imouto behaving so fearfully; it was a feeling that was far from pleasant. There had once been a time when her fear would have thrilled the powerful inu, but when she became pack, he grew to dislike the notion of fear clouding her aura and scent.

"I am her father, filth. Return her to me and we can go our separate ways."

He stiffened, "Is this true, Imouto? Is this man your father?"

The flinch at his tone was not welcomed. He demanded an answer. While he knew she had living relatives when she became pack, he was not inclined to include all who shared her blood. The family she lived with, adored, and spoke most highly of were the only ones that held a place in his pack. Even then, none were above his position as Alpha, and this man had over stepped his bounds.

Her next words made him determine how the ningen would be dealt with, "Yes, Aniki. That man is my father."

* * *

><p>Byakuya froze mid sentence. He felt an enormous amount of fear. Narrowing his eyes, he took no notice of his fuku-taichou trying to regain his attention. What he did notice was the fear had been radiating from his neck. That was its focal point. He didn't understand the irrational fear that he knew for a fact was not his own.<p>

Completely ignoring his fuku-taichou once more, Byakuya focused his attention on his neck. Breaking away from "noble protocol," he pulled the hem of his collar away and put his hand at the juncture between his shoulder and neck.

When Renji sucked in some air, Byakuya frowned as he noticed where his fuku-taichou was staring.

Unsure of what he was blatantly staring at, he asked cautiously. "What is it?"

Renji couldn't remove his eyes from the tattoo on his taichou's shoulder. The question brought him out of his stupor. Looking up, he spoke with confusion. "It's a tattoo."

Byakuya frowned. "What does it look like Abarai," his tone was impatient.

Renji resisted the urge to be sarcastic. Instead he relied coolly, "It's a sun within a crescent moon."

Byakuya released his collar and stood, completely dismissing Renji as he walked out his office door.

Renji resisted the urge to curse his boss's holier than thou attitude. Instead he opted for shaking his head and going off to so work of his own.

Byakuya didn't remember that being there when he left. He stopped once again when he felt the fear increase. For no reason at all, he could picture Kagome running from something or someone that instilled fear in her.

He had no idea why, but he had the strangest feeling he was right in thinking it was Kagome that caused the fear. He didn't know why, but he had the strangest urge to return and comfort her. He could practically feel her in his arms as he held her once more. This time was different. He didn't want anything other than to comfort her; to hold her in his arms till she was once again at peace.

He mentally shook his head at such thoughts. He knew it would be a long time, if ever, before he saw her again. Those thoughts made him freeze. Thoughts of never seeing her again did not settle well with him. Byakuya frowned once again.

He continued his trek, trying figure out where he had received such a mark. For the life of him, he could not recall where.

Fear continued to radiate from his neck as he made his way to a mirror to check the mark on his shoulder.

* * *

><p>For a split second, I could a sense of calm wash over me. It was like being in Byakuya's arms again. Like he was holding me; trying to comfort me. It made no sense, so I immediately pushed the notion out of my head. I needed to focus on the here and now. It seemed like Sesshou-Aniki had come to a decision.<p>

I felt Sesshoumaru shake, and then heard his chuckle. "It matters not if you are her sire; she has no wish for you to be in her presence. It would be advisable," he paused in a way that was entirely insulting, "-that you leave her in peace." I wanted to somehow be shocked at Aniki's words, but then I remembered…this is _Sesshoumaru_ we're talking about.

Apparently, he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Kagome, I'm going to tell you one more time and you _will_ listen to me; get away from him."

My eye twitched. Yes, I know now wasn't the best time for my anger to get the best of me, but _how dare he!_ He thinks that just because it takes two to tango, he suddenly has the right to boss me around? Oh _hell_ no! Not after what he did! He has another thing coming.

I peaked out from behind Sesshoumaru and narrowed my eyes, "Go tell it to someone who cares, old man."

I saw him stiffen, "Kagome-"

"After what you did, what makes you think I'd ever want to see you again? Kidnapping your own daughter!" He faltered, "Stay the hell away from us! My family is perfectly happy without you around!" I looked up at Sesshoumaru, "Can we leave now, Aniki? I can't stay here anymore."

He didn't even nod, not that he needed to. He simply put his arm around my waist and started walking to his car. I couldn't look back. I didn't have to, to know he was angry. He was still the same man that kidnapped me all those years ago.

11111111111111111

A young Kagome had just gotten out of school. She was so excited to get back home to see her little brother. It had been two years since her father had "gone to work," and not once had he returned; quite frankly, little Kagome was more than happy to keep it that way.

It had been one of the few days when her thoughts of her father plagued her. Such days were few and far in between.

She had just finished waving good-bye to her friends when a voice called out to her. Freezing, she turned slowly only to be presented with the sight of her father. The man that had abandoned her family. The man that had caused her mother to cry when she thought no one would hear, not that she did it anymore.

The man knelt down in front of her with a gentle smile, "Hi Kagome, how have you been?" He asked with sincerity.

Kagome narrowed her little eyes and tried to give her best glare, but it came out too utterly cute to be taken seriously.

He chuckled, "I guess I deserve that, don't I?"

He went to ruffle her hair, but she smacked his hand away before he got the chance.

When her eyes narrowed further at him, the man narrowed his own. Grabbing the strap of her backpack, he pulled her close, "Now you look here, just because I don't live with you anymore doesn't mean you can be rude to me. I am still your father, do you understand?" His voice lost all gentleness.

Kagome's little eyes widened in fear at his tone, but she did her best not to cry.

Releasing her backpack, he grabbed her tiny hand and began to walk off. Frightened, she began to struggle and cry. Yanking her so hard, her shoulder nearly dislocated, he looked down coldly and said, "Do that again Kagome, and you will be severely punished." She whimpered, but nodded in hopes that it wouldn't happen again.

Kagome was frightened, not once did her father ever hurt her; not even when she had done something wrong!

He practically dragged her to the car. Buckling her seatbelt in the back, he went to the driver's side and took off. He never said anything to ease the tension the frightened child was feeling.

He drove off to some abandoned warehouses and dragged her out of the car. When she started crying again, he pulled her to look at him and smacked her, telling her that he wouldn't tolerate her sniveling. Doing her best, Kagome forced back her tears.

After that, Kagome got lost in her own little world trying to escape the horrible reality she was in.

Kagome had been missing for six days before she was finally found. She never would remember what happened to her. All she would remember was that she was cold, hungry, tired, and got so sick, she fell into a coma.

Never would she remember what happened those days; but while she would never remember what happened to her after she was sold off, there would always be one who would.

She would later meet the male who had saved her life; and she would come to call him "Aniki."

Oh yes, Sesshoumaru remembered quite clearly what had happened when he found her after she had been kidnapped. He bided his time and watched her carefully; waiting for the perfect time to rescue her. He would regret that it took so long; and he would regret that he never knew who had sent such a pure creature to a place like that. His anger caused him to slaughter every single one of them. When asked, he said he found her wandering as he went to go check on his shipments. The place he found her looked like a battlefield. No one had questioned him suspiciously, for Sesshoumaru was a renowned member of society.

He had vowed to find the male that had done so, and he would make him pay. No one hurt his imouto and got away with it, _no one._

11111111111111111

Sesshoumaru looked at the little Miko at his side as they heard the man calling out to her. He was proud of her. He had watched her grow through out her life, lending a small hand when she needed him. Never once did it cross his mind that she would make an excellent mate. He had always just seen her as his imouto and to change that seemed…_wrong_…somehow.

* * *

><p>He froze in the middle of his step, "Imouto."<p>

I turned to face him, "Aniki?" I didn't like the tone he used one bit.

Red eyes turned to me, "You said he kidnapped you." It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway.

His grip on me tightened just enough to scare me, "Aniki, what's wrong?"

Before either of us got the chance to speak again, I was yanked away from him and being dragged away. There was a hand over my mouth to prevent me from screaming and an arm around my waist sealing my arms at my sides. A snarl broke from Sesshoumaru's chest and I only prayed that I could stop him from killing my sire. That nearly made me roll my eyes, _since when did I start sounding like him?_

Sesshou-Aniki turned around slow enough to make it look like even deadlier. His brow raised and a rather evil look in his eyes sent a chill down my spine, the likes of which I'd only seen and felt when Naraku had kidnapped Rin. That hadn't been a pleasant day for anyone.

I did the only thing I could to prevent him from killing; I flung my head back as hard as I could and gave a smirk when I heard that tell tale crunch of a nose break. The hold on me loosened, so I drove an elbow into his gut, gave a knee strike when he bent forward, and a high roundhouse when his head flew up. As he flung to the ground, I jumped beside Sesshoumaru, only to have Kirara's face pop right in front of mine, causing me to squeak in surprise.

When he staggered to his feet, he snarled at me and lunged, only to be forced against a wall by his throat. "It was _you _that took her all those years ago."

I froze in my place. _How does he know about that?_

My father gave a smirk, "What's it to you what I did with _my daughter_?"

Sesshoumaru smirked and leaned in and whispered something in his ear that made my fathers eyes water. Fear was so prominent in him that even _I_ could smell it. I watched in shock as Sesshoumaru raised his other hand and brought it to the back on my father's neck.

As soon as he was released, he started clawing at himself; like he was trying to rid his body of something. I don't know what Aniki had done to him, but I was glad that I didn't hear what he had said. I knew it would give me nightmares for the rest of my unnaturally long life.

I was so out of it that I didn't notice I was home. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, got out and somehow steered me to my door. I hugged him, too numb to really do anything else. "Arigato, Aniki. I don't know what to say, but I'm glad you didn't kill him. I didn't want you to get in trouble."

"Imouto, fear not. I wouldn't have allowed that fool to do anything nor would I have gotten into trouble." Putting a hand on my cheek, he drew my attention before pecking me on the forehead and slipping something into my pocket and walking off.

After I closed the door, Kirara and I made our way to the bathroom to take a much need bath and nap. Thank Kami for the large tub.

Last thing I remember was getting comfortable before passing out in the tube.

* * *

><p>My alarm went off and I groaned as Kirara woke from out stress relieving nap. I barely had enough time to finish before a nock at my door drew my attention. Kirara and I looked at each other and shrugged. I threw my stuff in the laundry room before opening the door to see a somewhat peeved Ichigo.<p>

"Ano, hey what's up?" I asked unsure.

He looked up at me so seriously that I was a little cautious. "Did anything happen to you recently?"

I almost laughed…almost. "Don't even get me started, what's this about?"

"Someone I'm training with says the thought they saw Tsukishima attacking someone yesterday; but before they had a chance to do anything, the girl was already gone and he way lying in a pool of his own blood. Were you attacked?"

I snorted, "Yeah, the little bakayaro should have just left me alone. I'm not defenseless like most ningen. Thanks to that bastard, I'm no longer ningen." I screamed, "FUCK! That's what I forgot to tell Aniki! Oh, this isn't good. I need to call him!" I ran back into the house and grabbed my pants from earlier and saw that he left his business card in the pockets and jumped in joy.

I forgot all about Ichigo and paused mid step when I caught him giving me a rather odd look. "I can call him a little later. Anything else?" I asked a little too cheerfully.

"Yeah, my dad wanted to invite you to dinner. Is that okay?" He sounded a little too…what's the word…hopeless?

"Sure, dinner sounds great, do you mind if I brought Kirara? She's a sweet heart and I don't have the heart to leave her alone, you know?" I giggled at his sigh.

"Yeah, sure. Dinner's in a few. Ready?"

* * *

><p>Neither of them noticed the pale little girl that slipped into Kagome's apartment.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am sooooooo soooooo sorry that it took so long to update! Classes and writer's block have not been kind my dear readers. But alas, I have chapter 25 out for you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as I was a little stuck on what to write. Gomen to all, really. *stands in front of reads and bows in apology***

**-Demented**


	26. Chapter 26: Wait, WHAT?

Chapter 26: Wait, WHAT!

Dinner with the Kurosaki's had been rather interesting. From Karin saying the most simple, yet scolding, remarks, to Isshin crying to a disturbingly large poster of his late wife, I can guarantee that I was not bored in the slightest. Even Kirara had enjoyed her fair share of the humor. I'm just glad she was welcomed; overly so, in particular, by Yuzu. Now that had been funny.

By the time dinner was over, Ichigo had apologized, while glaring at his father for such a disturbing meal. I had left it off by saying it reminded me of home and ojii-chan. My walk home with Kirara had been a quiet, yet happy one, till we reached my door and she let out of hiss as her fur stood on end.

"What's wrong Kirara?" l asked.

At her meow, I raised a brow and scoffed, "You can't be serious?"

Another hiss told me to shut up and open the door, which is exactly what I did. It's when I opened my door that I felt it.

There was an absence in the air, like something was missing. In my living room, stood a being I never expected to see again; mostly because I was sure we had killed her.

There, acting right at home, was Kanna.

I shifted into a defensive position easily. Eyes narrowed, I spoke, "Kanna. How did you get here?"

She shifted and looked me dead in the eyes, "The well. It called."

My arm went out in preparation for an attack, "Explain."

Pointing her mirror at me, it shone then went black, showing a vivid pair of yellow eyes. The malice and hate openly expressed with fervor. The hate was so intense that it made me flinch, causing her to erase the image.

Her soft monotone voice broke the tense silence. "Evil lurks in the shadows of man. Ever slumbering and preparing to wake. Soon the messengers of Death and Life alike shall assemble and bare arms till they unite in Time's eternal bond."

My eyes twitched, "Why are you here?" My voice sounded irritated, yet cold.

She reverently placed her mirror on the floor before beginning to undress.

My eyes widened, but before I could say anything, her clothes were pooled at her feet and her back was to me. There was no kumo on her back, ''Naraku was simply the means to my creation. Never was it intended for me to stay with him." She had finished putting on her clothes by the end of her little speech. I was more impressed by the amount she spoke, rather than by what she said.

Before I could ask another question, there was a knock at my door. Narrowing my eyes at her, I whispered a quick "watch her" to Kirara before answering.

Imagine my surprise when I find Orihime standing there looking lost. Raising my eyebrow and leaning against the door frame, I asked, "Can I help you?"

She stiffened, "You said I needed to get over my inferiority complex and that I only need to prove myself to myself." She looked straight into my eyes, "Can you make me stronger?" Her eyes became downcast once more, "I know I'm weaker than the others, but I want to be able to help them in any way I can."

I didn't even have the chance to reply, Kanna appeared by my side and warned, "You are to play an important part of what is to come." Her voice was soft, "You will need to make a decision that may destroy us all."

And with that, she walked off, leaving me to deal with the petrified onna.

Resisting the urge to purify the tiny void youkai, I waved Orihime in and closed the door before leading her to my living room.

Being nice to Kanna may not be the best of ideas, but I did remember her giving us a clue on how to defeat Naraku.

I kept close to Orihime out of sheer reflex from years of fighting with her. "Why do you think I can train you?"

She blushed, "You said you were trained and I can't go to the others for help. They wouldn't be able to take me seriously."

"I can get a trainer for you, but you may not like their methods." At her look, I explained, ''I have my own training to worry about. I can't hold your hand while trying to improve myself."

She looked ready to cry, I sighed," I'm not saying that you can't get trained; I'm just saying that it won't be me. Is that okay?"

Her hopeful expression was so bright, I fought a cringe. "You'll get someone to train me? Really?" I fought another cringe while nodding my head. Orihime let out a sigh of relief and happiness.

Looking at Kanna, I asked, "What are you doing here anyway?"

Her dead eyes sent shivers down my spine, "What I have always done." My eye twitched, _I should have expected that._

I pulled out my cell and dialed the number on the card. After a couple of rings, the phone was answered, "Sesshou-Aniki."

"Miko," his deep baritone replied, "Is there a reason you are calling me in the middle of a meeting?" My eye twitch again, ''Because I obviously know your schedule," I sighed, "No, it has to do with that damnable bauble, a void, and a blast from the past. Is there anyway for us to meet you? I would like to see your work place."

He chuckled, "I shall send Jaken to pick you up."

My groan made him chuckle again," Anyone but Jaken. Please!"

I could practically see that brow and smirk, "I shall send someone else. Be ready to leave shortly." His voice turned cold, "Keep your 'guests' under control you will be brought to the Western Sanctuary. I do not need blood to be shed."

''Hai, Sesshoumaru -sama."

A click signaled him hanging up and I fought the urge to curse him, knowing he would somehow know that I did. _Baka inu;_ okay, so that didn't work out so well.

The tense silence made me uncomfortable. ''So, Kanna, how did you know how to find me?"

She looked at me and I thought I saw a flash of amusement in her eyes, "I always know where my master is."

I choked, "Say what?"

Nope, it was definitely amusement. Too bad she didn't feel like enlightening anyone. When Kanna doesn't want to talk, she won't.

Orihime fidgeted at my side. "Ano," hesitation then, "What are you?"

My look made sure Kanna stayed silent. "Don't worry about it just yet."

Silence didn't get the chance to reign as a knock was heard.

Answering, I was not expecting to see a youkai at my door.

He looked fairly stoic and unfriendly.

"Can I help you?"

His voice was almost as deep as Sesshoumaru's. He had the most beautiful blue eyes and kind of attractive, though not my type. "Sesshoumaru-sama sent me." He gave a slight bow to which I nodded my head.

"Let me retrieve my companions..." I trailed off.

"Kiyoshi," his voice came out bored.

"How long have you been working for Sesshoumaru?"

His eyes narrowed, "You would do well to remember to give Sesshoumaru-sama the respect he deserves, wench."

I smirked, "I asked you a question. I will not ask again.''

He gritted his teeth, "300 years."

My smirk grew, "Ah, so young. Well, I shall retrieve my companions, and then we can go."

I whistled for Kirara, not surprised when the others followed. "Let's go." I noticed Orihime fidgeting, "Relax, you are under my protection."

I didn't miss the glare sent to me by our escort. I couldn't wait to see what his reaction to whom I am.

111111111111111111111111111

The ride over had been silent and awkward. The only thing that kept me from going off my rocker was petting my adorable little neko. Kirara was a Kami-sent. Her adorable purr relaxed me enough to pay attention to my surroundings.

Pulling into the car port, I nearly squealed again at seeing Ah-Un. Kami knew I loved the gentle ryuu. I launched out of the car and gave both heads the biggest hugs possible; all while telling them just how much I missed them. I could practically hear them chuckling at me, and it made me smile even more.

111111111111111111111111111

It took a while to calm both Ah-Un and Orihime.

Orihime had to be calmed down because of a nearly rampaging ryuu. I glared at the tora that done absolutely nothing to help. _Just wait till Aniki finds out. I think I just found Orihime's new trainer._

Seeing his suspicions glance in my direction made me grin.

After assuring her that Ah-Un was, in fact, safe; we were on our merry way to Aniki's home. _Guess he didn't want me to know where he worked._

111111111111111111111111111

Arriving at his home, I laughed. He kept his home. At Orihime's look, I smiled and shook my head. Kirara had long since abandoned us to run free.

When Ah-Un finally stopped, I hopped off, taking Orihime with me and walked in like I owned the place. Meh, my Aniki's the guy who does, so who cares.

We barely made it to the doors before guards stopped us. "Who goes there?'' Came a fairly young voice.

I looked at the youkai that had spoken. ''Hmmm. I don't answer to you. Step aside or you won't like what happens."

I saw a guard run off, most likely to get someone of higher rank.

Their weapons raised just a little as their eyes narrowed slightly. The stand-off continued till a Taichou that I recognized approached. I held pack a squeal when his eyes widened.

"Kagome-sama?" He asked a bit unsure.

I nodded and launched myself at him. He swung me around, chuckling, as I nuzzled into his armor covered chest. "Daichi!" I giggled, ''How have you been? How's the mate? The cubs? Work? Life?" I asked in rapid succession.

"Calm down, Kagome-sama. I can't believe it's you. Does Sesshoumaru- sama know?"

I nodded. "I'm supposed to meet with him. Is he here yet?"

He shook his head, "Not yet. He should be here in a little while." Daichi saw me sigh, "My mate would be happy to see you again. She's in the kitchens." He glared over my shoulder, "Kagome-sama and her guests are allowed to do as they please." He looked at Kiyoshi, "You will continue to escort them."

"Ne, ne, Daichi. He called me a wench earlier." I whined.

He tensed in my hug...what do you know, I hadn't let him go.

"Kiyoshi." I saw him think. "Apologize to Kagome-sama and be grateful she is merciful."

I nodded and looked up. "Are my rooms how I left them?"

He nodded, "Sesshoumaru sama had them kept, but would allow no one to take them." He grinned, "Though many have tried."

I smiled, "Then we're going to change. Can you send Chinatsu?"

His eyes softened, "Of course."

My smile widened, "Thank you!" I grabbed their hands and ran to my rooms and saw Kiyoshi glare more as he caught up. Reaching my door, I beamed at seeing my Chinatsu's kind and elderly face. Letting go, I gave Chinatsu as big a hug as Daichi.

"Kagome-sama, I am so glad to see you." Her voice, though old, was just as strong as it was 500 years ago.

"Chinatsu, I missed you so much." My eyes started tearing, "Obaa sama." She held me to her tighter.

"My little pup. It has been many a year since I last saw you." Her eyes crinkled, "Let's get you and your friends changed."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

My 5 layer kimono fit perfectly; that meant that I hadn't gained any weight. Kanna actually looked happy to be in something other than white. I don't know how that worked, as she still looked emotionless, but she looked happy.

Orihime looked like she'd never tried on something so expensive. I chuckled, "Kumo youkai silk. The sturdiest stiff there is; nearly impossible to stain and self-repairing."

She looked horror stuck, "Youkai?"

"Shinigami?" I replied.

She nodded, "True."

Chinatsu had already disappeared. I looked over at Kanna and honestly had no problem with her. I couldn't figure out why. We had been enemies but all I could see was a little girl who was happy in a pretty kimono; even if it was a little big on her.

I felt my eyes soften, "Let's go look for Asami."

On our way to the kitchens, I told Orihime and Kanna the basic history of the kyuutei simply to fill the silence. They seemed excited enough about it.

I barged into the kitchens demanding my oden to be nice and hot or there would be major problems. And horses running around inside would be the least of their problems.

"Kagome-same, so help me if you do, you'll find worms in your bed! You-" Asami froze. "Kagome-sama? Is that you?"

My lovely friend, who also happened to be the head cook, rushed me and held me in a tight hug. "You disgusting little ningen-you!" Her hug tightened, "You should have said goodbye! I cried for months after you were gone!"

I heard a sob and panicked, "Asami, I can't breathe. Please don't cry! I'm sorry!"

Holding her at arm's length, I noticed something, "You're pregnant!" She grinned. "Oh, Daiichi, that sly tora!"

"Oh hush you; come, let's get you three fed," she said as she turned prepare our food.

I turned to my "guests" and saw a new Kanna; she looked freer; like she had something to truly live for. I looked down at her mirror, "I have to know, is it the mirror or you that has the ability?"

She didn't reply.

"You don't like talking, do you?"

Kanna remained silent.

Shrugging, I led us to the dining room and took my seat before asking, "So what exactly can you do, Orihime. I can't find you a trainer if I don't know."

I heard Kiyoshi scoff. "Is that why you are disturbing Sesshoumaru-sama? To train this pathetic ningen? I do not know why he wasted my time retrieving you. To think, Sesshoumaru-sama knows a Miko. Why does he deal with trash like you?"

Before he could continue, Asami spoke as she placed our food on the table, "You would do well to silence yourself, cub."

"Silence, I do not need you to defend me, Asami."

I waved her away, though I was guilty in acting my station. "Be a good little cup, and stand quietly in the back like a good guard."

He snorted.

"Miko," came a rich baritone that made my spine stiffen. "This One recalls a warning of blood shed."

I rose slowly and bowed, "Hai, Sesshoumaru. My apologies. He just makes it so easy." I rose.

"Hn." His lips twitched. "This One finds it amusing that you show the proper respect until you address him.''

"Please, the only time that happens is at court. This is not court."

He chuckled, ''True. Now, why have you called?"

I signaled Kanna.

"The void. This One heard she had been slain."

"Well, I thought she was." My brow rose, "Obviously not."

His fingers twitched, "Miko-"

"Youkai."

"Kagome."

"Yes, Aniki?" I asked innocently.

A whisper was heard, "Aniki?"

I grinned, "Of course. Sesshoumaru is my Aniki. And to think, you called me a wench." My eyes narrowed, "And trash."

I felt Sesshou Aniki's youki flare, "Trash?"

"I already have a punishment in mind." At his look, I explained, "A friend of mine needs to be trained. I say let him train her; she is a 'pathetic ningen' after all."

He looked thoughtful before adding, "It is done. He will spend all his time with her."

Kiyoshi did not look pleased. "Surely, Sesshoumaru-sama would not follow the words of a Miko?"

The room grew cold, "You question This Sesshoumaru?"

He looked like he was trying not to cower. I felt Orihime shaking next to me, so I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Aniki, we should go to your study and give you time to cool down. What I have to say can't be said where anyone can hear."

He gave me a glance suspicious before leaving. Looking at Kiyoshi, I spoke carefully, "You will keep your mouth shut until I say otherwise. Since my little 'Hime is about to pass out, you get to carry her." My glare rivaled Aniki's, "lf you say anything, I'll purify your tongue." I followed Aniki and left, not even checking if my orders had been followed. If they weren't, there'd be hell to pay.

111111111111111111111111111

Kiyoshi watched as Kagome walked off, frozen in place. Somehow, in that moment, he saw someone far more frightening than his Lord could ever be. Maybe it was a women's wrath, or the fact that she threatened to purify him, but she terrified him.

Before he could continue his thoughts, he saw the orange-haired girl begin to fall. Not wanting to risk injury for her injury, he caught her and did as he was told. He shivered at the sheer anger his Lord had displayed. His Lord's anger was never pleasant.

Looking down at the girl in his arms, he sighed. Why did he have to be sent to pick her up? Couldn't they have sent Jaken? He sighed again. At least she was easy on the eyes. He sighed yet again. The next few hours were going to be extremely difficult.

111111111111111111111111111

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk as I stood by the windows. Deciding where to start, I plunged right in, "The Shiloh no Tama is, physically, no more."

"Explain." His voice was hard.

I glanced at him; studying him. "Remember when you came to my aid earlier? Well, the Tama didn't just merge with me." I held myself. "Aniki, I am the Shikon no Tama. It didn't just shed its physical form, it destroyed my humanity completely. I mean, we knew that I would guard it until its new protector was born, but who knows how long that would have taken. We knew I would be around for a long time, but to make ME the Shikon no Tama; it's just insane."

At his angered growl, I whimpered, "Kagome-"

The door opened, interrupting him. Kiyoshi gently closed the door and placed Orihime in a chair before going to stand against the wall.

"Aniki, there is nothing that can be done. It has already happened and it's too late to change anything." I sighed.

"Onto the third season. Kanna."

She moved in front of Sesshou-Aniki quietly and showed him the same thing she had shown me. Those horrid yellow eyes.

"Before you ask, I don't know what it means."

"Why is Kanna here?"

I looked at her, but she remained silent. Damn, she wasn't going to talk. "She said something about the 'darkness of man' and sleeping and 'messengers of Life and Death.' I don't have a clue of what any of that means."

"Cryptic indeed," came his smooth and comforting baritone.

"I can't believe we have to go through yet another war. While I may have given you instructions over the last few centuries; now, we're going it blind. There are no more secret scrolls to be opened, giving life-saving advice or books that will tell of events to come. Aniki, I don't know what to do."

He completely changed the topic, "The onna, how is she to be trained? Will she stay here or will they both go with you?"

"Aniki, I don't have enough room for them and Kanna, since she will be staying with me. My apartment is too small."

"The house next to the Shinigami's is for sale. I will purchase-"

"Aniki!" I shouted, "I like paying for my home. Plus, I just got the place not even a month ago. What am I supposed to tell my landlady?"

The look he gave me said, "How is that my problem? You are moving and that's final." That made my eye twitch.

''I will give you three days to pack. Be ready to move by then."

_I forgot how over bearing he could be._

"But, Aniki, now do I know he won't try to kill me in my sleep? I don't exactly trust him."

"Yet, you are willing to have him train her. Kagome, Daichi would want his cub to learn something from you. He would also want to help you as much as possible. He sees you as his cub as well."

"Wait," I looked at Kiyoshi, "You're Daichi's cub? You don't look anything like him or Asami!"

"Miko."

I saw him make a fist. "Wow, Daichi just doesn't stop when it comes to cubs." My eyes narrowed, "speaking of which, I haven't met any of my grandkits. My Sochi better have a good reason for that. If not, well, he will just have to re-grow a very important limb." I said darkly.

"Shippou has been away on business since the last time you saw him."

I glared at him and his brow rose, "Rin has no excuse either. They could have called or something. I want to meet my grandkits!" I whined.

Aniki chuckled, "I shall let Rin know the next time I see her."

"Depriving me of my grandkits. The nerve of that kit!"

I saw Kiyoshi's eyes widen, "You are Shippou-sama's mother?"

I glared, "Have a problem with that?"

"I was merely surprised, Kagome-sama. I had heard so much of you growing up."

Was it my imagination or was he blushing just a tiny bit? Yeah, best to ignore that small detail.

Hearing a groaning sound, I turned my attention to my little 'Hime.

I brushed my fingers through her hair as she finally came to.

"How are you feeling? I imagine you aren't used to youki or such oppressive auras. Aniki has the biggest one I know. What you felt could be considered but as star among the skies compared to Aniki." I looked her dead in the eyes.

Her eyes grew and she took in the silver-haired youkai behind me. "Forget your notions of power if you truly want to learn. Here, there are no special powers, just the truly natural gifts of the Kami."

Those same eyes grew determined. "If it means that I can finally fight with the others and not hold them back. I don't want everyone to worry about me anymore."

Sesshoumaru gently pushed me to the side and held her face between his fingers, "I have seen eyes like this only once." He said emotionlessly, "If you disappoint the one giving you this chance, you will learn why it is the youkai way to destroy weakness. She may have offered you protection, but that will not protect you from This One. She may have taken you in, but I am Alpha." He glanced at Kanna; his way of telling her that his warning applied to bet as well.

He released her and went back to his seat. I wanted to comfort the poor girl, I truly did, but it would undermine the lesson he was trying to instill; he was Alpha and no one can protect her from him, not even me.

I looked at her. "You have 3 days to pack all your belongings. You're moving in with me." She looked like she was ready to protest, "This is an order from Sesshoumaru. I already tried to fight it and got nowhere. You won't change his mind either."

She slouched on get chair and nodded, "Okay."

I smiled, "Don't worry, it's not bad. You will learn things about yourself in ways no one else can teach you."

She seemed to have perked up, till Sesshoumaru's next words shot that top hell. "It is a given that you will speak of this, of us, to no one. It is my command as your new Alpha."

She clutched her chest as youki bared down on her, "Ye-yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."

He glanced at the door before a tap was heard and bid them entrance.

A young hanyou entered, immediately bowing to Aniki, telling him the Cardinal Lords had arrived, before dismissing herself.

I turned to Kiyoshi, "Take my little 'Hime and escort her to my gardens." I turned to Kanna, "This is a chance to prove yourself my ally."

"You presume I will allow you to stay, Miko." He was amused.

I rolled my eyes, "This is most likely able what happened at my house."

He looked thoughtful before standing to greet the Council. I smirked.

Taking my rightful place slightly behind Aniki, I awaited their arrival.

There was no warning as the does opened and beings of various ages and strengths entered. Their auras brushed against my own and I fought to keep my reiatsu under control. It wouldn't do to start an all out war because I accidentally purified the Cardinal Lords.

They took their seats and I recognized all the leaders present. _It seems only the Northern Lord was the only one who stepped down. I wonder how Kouga got it._ They nodded to each other and I gave them all a slight bow.

"Sesshoumaru, it seems your Miko returned to you just as you said she would." The Southern Lord said in a gravely voice. He had been ancient in the time of the former Inu-no-Taishou.

He nodded, but stayed silent.

The Southern Lord continued, "We are here for another reason, as you well know."

The Northern Lord scoffed, but was silenced by the oppressive aura I knew to be his father's.

The former Lord spoke, "I have spoken to my son and he says you attacked him unprovoked."

Sesshou-Aniki took the words right out of my mouth, "Hn." _So much for words._

"Miko," Tsutomu-sama, the Southern Dai, spoke, "What is your take on what happened?"

"Right, Tsutomu-sama. Ryuujin questioned the honor of Sesshoumaru-sama. Aniki was making introductions at the request of Ryuujin. Upon being told who I am, he accused Aniki of deceit."

The two lords looked at Ryuujin with disgust. It only grew when he spoke again. "Wench, you will show This Ryuujin the proper respect or be punished."

His father spoke, "You will watch how you address Kagome-sama, hatchling."

"Chichi-ue, you cannot be-

"Silence, you have dishonored me enough." He turned to me and nodded, "My apologies. It seems my son knows not his place. He will accept any punishment you choose to give."

I nodded, "Calling me Kagome-sama is enough at the moment. There may come a time where I will call upon him to regain his honor as he so quickly questioned ours."

He turned to the other Lords before glaring at his son, "This grievance will be remedied."

A few more things were discussed before all but the Southern Lord had left. "Tsutomu."

"Sesshoumaru, will you still deny one of my cubs the Miko as a mate?"

I nearly choked. Looking at my Aniki, my eyes grew. _How come he never told me about this?_

"She has the freedom to choose her own mate. I have never been able to force her to do that which be she does not want to." The grin may not have been on his face but it was in his next choice of words. "She had already chosen a mate."

I glared at the back of his head add Tsutomu looked at me and chuckled before walking out of Aniki's office saying something about maybe our children being a match.

"You-you-you." I couldn't even finish my sentence.

"You have already taken the Shinigami as mate, imouto. Did you think I would not know?"

I froze, "But I can't mate. I'm not youkai."

His eyes softened, "Very few ningen can truly mate but it is possible. To mate is to share a part of your soul. You have both done so. You have mated imouto."

I panicked, "No! No! No! I can't have a mate! What about the rest of my life? What am I supposed to do?" My panic increased, "Aniki am I-do I-am I pregnant?" My eyes stung with unshed tears.

"Do you not wish to, imouto?" He seemed upset at my hopes that I wasn't.

"Not of we are about to go to war once more. Shippou had to grow up through Naraku. I won't force another of my children to go through that again."

He understood because he had Rin.

"No, imouto, you do not carry. You need not worry." He placed his hand on my cheek, "I will be expecting nieces and nephews from you soon."

I leaned into his hand, "Why don't you have a mate?"

He chuckled, "I have found none that are worthy of This Sesshoumaru."

I laughed, "Well, hurry, because I expect the same from you." I hugged him. "I love you, Aniki."

"And I you, my precious imouto."

I looked up at him, "It's getting late, do you mind if we spend the night?"

"They will be put in the guest wing."

I squeezed him just a little tighter before running to the door, "Good night, Aniki." I made my way to my room after closing the door; _Sesshou-Aniki said he loves me._ I smiled happily. My Aniki made me happy.

Arriving at my gardens, I was surprised to see Orihime blushing. I turned to my side and saw Kanna. I couldn't resist, so I ruffled her hair.

''How do you feel about going to school?" She looked at me confused, "I want you to know what it's like to be normal. You are going to school; I just have to find one chose to home." She looked even more confused, "I'm not going to let my new imouto grow up uneducated."

Her eyes widened minutely as she nodded, having no idea what "school" really was.

"Now, I wonder if my grandkits live here or somewhere else.''. I shrugged. I'll get to meet them sooner or later, so it's okay, for the moment.

111111111111111111111111111

Shippou froze in the middle of his meeting. A cold shiver ran down his spine. He could only pray it wasn't as bad as it felt.

111111111111111111111111111

Turning back to Orihime, I just had to interrupt whatever moment they were having. I really couldn't resist, "'Hime, Kiyoshi, don't forget the next couple of days." I grinned, "We'll be one big happy family. We'll be spending the night since it's gotten so late. Tomorrow, I'll stop by the school to register to start next week." _So much for my time off school._

She blushed but smiled brightly, "Maybe we can visit Ishida-kun in the hospital after."

"Anything you want. Aniki is forcing you to move, after all."

"Kagome-sama," Kiyoshi drew my attention, "I would like to property apologize." He bowed low.

"Oh? Is this because you found out who I am?"

He rose and glared, but turned away slightly in guilt.

"I'm not going to be angry at you for your opinions, but remember, it is your words that put you in this position." I sighed, "Don't forget to pack your things. We move in 2 days."

Orihime looked surprised, "But Sesshoumaru-sama said 3 days."

I grinned, "He was counting today." At her panicked expression, my grin widened. _Okay, so I took after him a little more than I thought._ "Don't worry. I'll ask him if he can lend us some of his staff so they can help us pack and move."

Kiyoshi frowned again. "Kagome-sama, am I truly going with you?"

I raised a brow, "Do you see Aniki as the type to prank?"

He nodded, ''True, my Lady."

I rolled my eyes, "We should get some sleep. Breakfast is served early and we still have to pack." I looked at 'Hime, "You don't have a youkai's durability." My grin scared her, "That will soon change.''

* * *

><p><strong>To my lovely readers,<strong>

**I must sincerely apologize for having gone on for so long in updating. I got so caught up in so many other things that I didn't have the time to write. Again, my sincerest apologies. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to update all my other stories as soon as possible. Please review and enjoy the New Year everyone! :-)**

**-Demented and Milkshake-sama**


	27. Chapter 27: Get Ready for Hell

**A/N: To my beautiful and amazingly wonderful readers and followers:**

*** gets on knees and prostrates* I am extremely sorry for the long update. I won't make some cheesy excuse, because quite frankly, I had absolutely nothing to update. So in the spirit of honesty, please forgive this humble writer and read and review this one's chapter. I hope it is enough that you grant your forgiveness. **

**-Demented and Milkshake-sama**

**Right! Now on with the story!**

Chapter 27: Get Ready for Hell

Orihime looked at the woman before her, not at all liking the grin on her face...it showed entirely too many teeth.

She stole a quick glance at Kiyoshi. She didn't quite like the look on his face either. Sending a quick prayer to the Kami; she prayed she'd be able to survive her training.

* * *

><p>Kiyoshi had a thoughtful expression on his face as he started creating a training regimen for the soft female before him.<p>

He couldn't understand how ningen didn't train their young. It didn't make any sense, but what did he know of how ningen thought.

* * *

><p>Nodding, I excused myself and Kanna before heading back to my rooms.<p>

"Her training will need to be rushed and strenuous if you want to her to achieve a proper level on time."

I glanced at Kanna, "It is a good thing I am a skilled healer. Her bones will be broken many times over before this is all through. The poor child will resent us all when everything is said and done."

Kanna's nod made me sigh and pray the gentle soul of Orihime would survive.

* * *

><p>We were back in our homes first thing after breakfast.<p>

My landlady had been quite understanding when I told her my situation. What is my situation you ask? Let me tell you: Aniki didn't approve of my living situation and was making me move or he would disown me. _Please, like that would ever happen._

She seemed even more appreciative of the fact that I had purified the apartment, thus making it livable. She didn't need to know that my purifying it as a real Miko and purifying it as a shrine daughter were two entirely different things. It's not like she needed to know that I had literally purified the place.

Looking at my home one last time, I was grateful that I hadn't be able to unpack everything. My clothes had still been in my boxes, thankfully.

Sighing to myself, yet again, I mumble to myself about baka inu and their incessant need to control everything.

The doorbell rang in the middle of my rant, irritating me.

Voices were in my living room before I knew it and I scowled, _I'll have to talk to Kanna about opening the door, no matter who she senses._

Walking in to see some maids, I frowned.

"Kagome-sama," bowed a maid I didn't recognize.

Raising a brow at her, I waited for her to continue.

"Sesshoumaru-sama sent us and another group to help you and Inoue-sama to pack and move. Kiyoshi-san has already finished and is escorting the others to Inoue-sama's home."

Nodding, I moved to the side and gestured for them to bring the boxes as I walked across the street to see a sweating realtor.

Getting his attention, he bowed to me, "Higurashi-san, correct?"

I nodded before smiling gently, "Sorry for all the trouble. My Aniki can be quite…" I paused, not wanting to use the word intimidating… "strong willed."

Nodding but not actually saying anything against it. He looks too afraid that he may say something wrong. He bows once more before handing me the keys and skittering off. _Damn Aniki, what did you say to the poor guy?_

I looked at the person who appeared at my side, "Sesshoumaru-sama is having a dojo built under the house as we speak. There will be enough space for both of you to train separately."

"Aniki spares no expenses, ne?" They just shook their heads. "Plus, I already have a place to train."

The young hanyou bowed, "Sesshoumaru-sama considered that, but for the encounter that lead to your reunion came to mind. He prefers you not having to go through such an open area again."

I wanted to cry at his thoughtfulness. Instead, I just smiled gently and nodded, "He's right. Give him my thanks when you return."

Glancing at the train of maids that seemed endless, I turned to get Kanna, when I was thrown off balance by a rather irritated Kirara. Before I could, sheepishly, explain, I heard a very familiar gasp and spun around so quickly I almost gave myself whiplash!

"Mama!" Damn, I forgot!

"Kagome! What on earth-" she couldn't finish her question.

Smacking myself for my forgetfulness, I said one word and she laughed!

"He would do that, wouldn't he, Kagome."

Her statement made me twitch, "Baka, overbearing, conniving-GAH!" _I make myself frustrated just thinking about it!_

Her laugh drew my attention, "Oh, Kagome. It's his job to be like that. Personally, I think he does it with you because you react so strongly." She smiled! She's supposed to be on my side! _Traitor!_ I mentally hissed.

I snorted, "He would."

"Kagome-sama." A maid came up to me. She looked between Okaa-san and I and I could tell she was struggling with her decision to interrupt us. Waving her on, she continued, "Your things have been placed in your rooms and all the extra furniture needed was brought in last night." With an expression that was a little too innocent, she spoke once more, "Sesshoumaru-sama requested that traditional furniture be placed instead of Western. There were slight variations on the bedding, but everything else has been changed."

I nearly snarled, "He did _not_ touch my bed! That-that-that-GAH!" I screamed before taking off and checking my new home. My eye twitched when I noticed it wasn't as bad as she had made it out to be. _Damn him!_

Taking a good look around, I was grateful I didn't have to unpack. I was impressed with the work they had accomplished in such a short amount of time.

My room had been on the top floor and away the street. Knowing, strategically, that my room was the hardest to get to, I had to frown at the "others will be sacrificed to protect you" vibe I was getting.

* * *

><p>After the others had unpacked, I scowled when I walked into Kanna's room. Noticing that she seemed to have no problem with the idea of such a thing, I gestured to the others and declared a shopping trip for the tiny void youkai.<p>

"Knowing my Aniki the way I do, he'll have some papers for you so we won't run into any trouble when we go to sign you up for school."

Her confusion was tangible. "I'll have to ask Ichigo where his sisters go to school and maybe you can go together." I could tell everything was going over her head so I continued, "Don't worry. I'll be helping you till you get caught up and begin to understand the material."

I paused, " Kanna, do you know how to write?"

She glanced at me and I raised my brow waiting for her to reply. Her negative confirmation made me sigh.

"Kagome-sama-"

I cut him off, "You're coming to school with 'Hime and I as well, Kiyoshi."

I almost missed his horrified look...almost. It made me grin with sadistic glee internally. Wouldn't do to scare him, now would it. I sent a slide glance, _no there's plenty of time to scare him later._

"You are also her bodyguard. I will not have you doing nothing while we have to suf-I mean study." _Damn, I almost said suffer. _I sighed in relief, _we aren't going to suffer alone, Kiyoshi...mark my words._ I grinned.

"Hai, Kagome-sama." His voice quivered.

* * *

><p>The shopping center was a lot more daunting than I remembered. My watch read <em>1:30<em> and I sighed. _I seem to be sighing a lot lately. I hope it's not a sign of things to come. At least all of our stuff was moved in. Now I just have to purify the place before we settle in for good._

"Kanna," she looked at me, "Do you have anything specific that you'd like to wear, or do you want to look around till you find something you like?"

She looked down so I kneeled in front of her. "You don't have to worry about saying anything wrong. If you have something to say, you can say it. No one is going to punish you for it."

Kanna gave a slight nod before looking around.

Orihime became skittish, "Ano-" her tone was hesitant. My look made her continue, "Can we go visit Ishida-kun after?"

Seeing Kanna standing there waiting, I smiled, "We won't be here that long. I think Kanna may have found what she wanted."

I noticed Kiyoshi's frowning disposition and grinned at the possibilities. _It looks like we have a couple of crushes going around._

Surprised that our time at the mall was even shorter than I thought it would be, but no less expensive, I was happy to note that we were on our way to visit this "Ishida" person.

Noticing that 'Hime was biting her lip, I grabbed her hand, "I'll see if I can heal him a little while I'm there."

* * *

><p>Byakuya glared at his grandfather.<p>

"Byakuya, I know you don't want to do this, but the Kuchiki main house needs an heir. _You_ need an heir. This last mission proves it."

He sighed as the glare increased in intensity. As if his own grandson could intimidate him. He want to roll his eyes at the meager attempt that had almost all others cowering in fear. "You were gone for over a week with no words as to your whereabouts nor your health. We had to find out from the 11th Division Taichou!"

Ginrei sighed, "You do not have a choice…" he paused, "...unless you have someone else in mind."

A picture of Kagome entered the young Shinigami's mind. His heart lurched and he had the greatest urge to dash out to the World of the Living just to see her. Holding her once more was his greatest wish, but he would never want to subject her to clan policies and a life devoid of freedom. He had done that to one wife already. He would not make another he loved suffer so.

The moment she entered his mind, she refused to leave. He turned his back to his grandfather as he thought about the young Miko with old eyes. _She may have gone to war, but I'd rather go to war than deal with clan policies any day._

Ginrei studied his grandson. As much as it pained him, he needed Byakuya to understand that he couldn't focus only on being the 6th Division Taichou and Family Head when it suited him. He wasn't head to any clan, but one of the four noble clans. _We clan heads have no right to be selfish and spoiled. We must set aside our wants for the good of the clan._

Facing his grandfather, a Jigoku cho flew through the window.

Acknowledging the message, he began to walk toward the door.

"Byakuya," he paused, "I'm going to have you go through with this unless you have someone else in mind."

Byakuya broke his own heart with his next words, "No one."

Ginrei sighed, "Then I will let the others know."

Byakuya could almost picture the heartbroken look Kagome would have the next time they would see each other. He wouldn't love his next wife, not like he had loved Hisana, and definitely not like he had loved Kagome. He could only pray that he could see Kagome once more before he was to wed. He wanted to curse the arrangement altogether, but he knew his duty.

As much as he would disdain his position, he would never dishonor his wife with an affair. He sighed at another lurch in his chest. He knew Kagome would once more haunt his thoughts. _Kagome._ Her name, though it pained him to say, was a balm to his soul in a way Hisana never was.

Hisana was someone he loved but had to protect. He had to protect her from the clans and the outside world and her health had failed with the stress of her station.

While Kagome was strong, he was afraid she, too, would wilt under the strain of such expectations. Despite her having an amazingly strong will and such fire in her soul, he knew that when push came to shove, she, too, would fall to the pressures of his clansmen.

_I did not know her long, but our time together will have to be enough to tide me over in the centuries to come._

LIttle did he know, Kagome would once more make a grand and memorable entrance into his life and all his doubts and fears of her not being able to withstand the high stress of the position of his lady would be cast out as he learned just who Higurashi Kagome truly was.

* * *

><p>"You jerk!"<p>

Uryuu's eyes grew wide at her tone.

"She comes to visit you and you have the nerve to tell her to buzz off! What the hell!" Kagome's voice carried throughout the room.

His next words sent Kagome into a fit and made Orihime's eyes tear up.

Kiyoshi sighed once more. His master's imouto truly was outrageous. He looked at the ningen with strange reiatsu. Again he sighed, _Ningen are such strange creatures._ He looked at both his mistresses, _Do all males treat their females as such,_ his gaze returned to the boy, _or are the young ones and exception?_ That truly was the million yen question to the confused youkai.

He shook his head once more. _Ningen, I'll never understand such strange creatures._

Kanna glanced at the male on the bed. The urge to suck out his soul for angering her mistress was almost too hard to resist. _Almost_.

* * *

><p>I was seething! Seething, I tell you! How could he tell her to just leave? And in that tone too!<p>

Taking a deep breath, I had to remind myself that most teenage _boys_ we as inept at understanding females as centuries old youkai. Bala, the lot of them. _And they say females are complicated! I'll never understand males!_

"Going to give her a reason to leave or are you going to just shove it in her face." The sneer was in my voice and on my face.

His eyes narrowed, "Who are you to question my decisions? I make my own choices."

I relaxed. If that's how he wanted to play it, then fine. "Let's go." My eyes found Orihime's. "You aren't allowed to have anything to do with his _boy_ ever again." At her stricken face, I continued, "If he can't appreciate you and your friendship for what it's worth, then he doesn't deserve it."

"But-" My eyes narrowed, "Hai, Kagome-sama."

He glared at me quietly.

* * *

><p>I could see 'Hime ready to burst into tears.<p>

"'Hime-"

She looked at me, "How could you say something like that?"

i sighed, "Because I can't - _won't _- let anyone do to you or Kanna or Kiyoshi what Inuysha did to me." I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair. "I won't let anyone treat my family, my friends, like the dirt beneath their feet. No one deserves to be treated like shit by the people they care about."

She sniffled and Kiyoshi put his arm around her awkwardly.

"Maybe we should go home, Kagome-sama."

Sighing, yet again, I grabbed Kanna's small hand and began to lead us back home. As we started walking, I whispered, "I pray you don't hate us by the time we're through, Orihime. And if you do, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us for what we are about to do. Even if it was at your request."

Kanna's hand tightened in mine. _So much for my vacation…_I thought bitterly.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi caught sight of the 6th Division Taichou. His grin was feral, "Hey, Princess. How was your trip home?"<p>

Byakuya glanced at the mongrel that insulted him. "At least I have a home to return to. Strays like you should just keep silent."

Juushiro walked between the feuding men. "Ma, ma, calm down. No need to start a fight now. Yamamoto-Sou-Taichou wouldn't be too pleased if the building was destroyed."

Lining themselves accordingly, the meeting to return Kurosaki Ichigo to Shinigami status once more commenced. Byakuya was happy for the distraction.

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru wanted to growl. The video conference between the other Cardinals was going tediously slow. If he didn't know any better, he would have guessed them being slow on purpose just to irritate him. He glanced at his Ookami counterpart and found the same expression on his face.<p>

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>When we got home, I went straight to the kitchen to make us some dinner. While youkai prefered raw meat, I didn't want to cause 'Hime any more stress than I already had. <em>I just hope she realizes that I'm only trying to protect her as best I can in the only way I know how.<em>

I sighed. _Poor girl. She has no idea what she got herself into._ I shivered, _At least she didn't get Sesshoumaru as a master. No, he would take her to the brink of death and still expect her to keep going as if nothing were wrong._

I felt Kirara brush up against my leg and I set aside some raw meat her her to enjoy before dinner was ready. "Do you think helping her get stronger our way is the right thing to do?"

Kirara looked at me carefully before meowing out her answer.

"I know, it's just…" I sighed, "Was I that naive and damaged before I left with Sesshou-Aniki?"

She sighed and studied me once more before giving a single nod.

I smiled, "Thanks Kirara." I gave her a peck on her diamond. "We'll take a bath after we eat. How does that sound?" Her happy meow made me squeal and hug her tightly, "Oh, you are just too cute!"

"Kagome-sama-"

"It's Kagome, 'Hime. You don't have to call me -sama unless it's a formal event or we're at Aniki's." I nodded, "Kiyoshi will have to teach you as you train, so I hope you can multitask. Besides, Aniki is going to expect you to know this. He is expecting us to teach you certain things. So here's rule number one: Sesshoumaru's word is law. While there are other Cardinal Lords, Sesshoumaru is _your_ lord. His word is the only one that matters."

I grinned, "I hope you have a good memory, because you're about to get a crash course in youkai society and etiquette."

Her look of horror almost satisfying...almost. _Aniki definitely rubbed off on me._


	28. Chapter 28: I Don't Believe It

**A/N: To my beloved readers:**

**I sincerely apologize for the wait I have put you through. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. I will give no excuses as to why I haven't uploaded anything lately. Also, I'd like to make a note, in the words of Professor River Song (to all my Doctor Who fans out there), SPOILERS! It is in this chapter than I will begin to diverge from the original Bleach storyline. For those of you who haven't read this arc...well, there are SPOILERS, small though they may be, they are still there. And now, please read this newest update and grant this lowly authoress reviews.**

**~Demented and Milkshake-sama**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 28: I Don't Believe It<span>

Orihime glanced up from her call when she felt someone looking at her. Hanging up, she waited.

Kiyoshi sighed, "I hope that you won't hate us for what is about to happen." At her look, he continued, "We are about to put you through hell, make no mistake. As youkai, we thrive on bloodshed. Your wounds will be fatal, your bones broken, and your sanity tested. We are not a gentle race. Even the most docile has a beast lurking within. The one thing you must remember is that we are not ningen. We are spirits that have achieved this form out of convenience. Do not hesitate to strike because of my appearance, for I will not have that problem."  
>Her fear was palpable, "Even were you to fight Kagome-sama, she would not have that problem. I am not saying to use violence for everything, that would defeat the purpose of honor. No, I am saying to show no mercy to your enemies, for they will show you no such luxuries." He left her to her thoughts as he walked away.<p>

Orihime was horrified. Could she really go through with any of that just to not be seen as a burden? Could she really cast away what she thought of as her humanity just to be by Ichigo's side? A flash of the fight between him and Ulquiorra went through her mind. She nodded to herself. She would go through hell and back to protect her loved ones. If Kagome could do it, then so could she.

No one saw the genuine smile of Kanna as she felt the girl's determination.

"Oh!" I glanced at Kirara in the middle of my stirring, "I have to get my transcripts from Mama." Her head tilted cutely, "I'm going to go apply for school tomorrow with Kiyoshi and Kanna. Aniki had their papers dropped earlier." I glanced at the envelope on the table, not having a chance to actually look through them.

"What about you, Kirara? What are you going to do while we're at school?"

Her meow made me laugh, "Naps sound really good."

"Kagome?"

I turned to Orihime. "Chad, a friend of mine, called me earlier. He was looking for me at my apartment not too long ago. I guess, I forgot to tell everyone I was moving."

I couldn't help but smile, "I've met Yasutora-san before. How is he?"

"He was concerned about me, but I told him I moved in with a friend."

I smiled again, "At least, everything is okay, right?"

She looked away, unable to face me, "I'm not too sure. Everything is happening so fast that it's a little hard to take in." She took a deep breath, "Kiyoshi-sama told me that training was going to be horrible." Her eyes grew determined. "I'll go through whatever takes to protect my friends."

My eyes widened as she looked me dead in the eye. I smirked, "You have good eyes right now. You remember this night when you feel like giving up and are unable to continue, because we won't go easy on you. You'll have nightmares before this is over. No matter what, _I_ won't let you give up."

Her eyes brightened before nodding, "Right."

I put my arm around her shoulder, "Get ready for dinner. I just need to set the plates for dinner and we're good to go."

She smiled and bounded out of the room.

"Kanna," the little void appeared from a dark corner, "Keep an eye on her. I fear she may try to do something I would have done."

"Ano, Kagome?"

"Hmmm?" I glanced up from doing the dishes. "What's up?"

Her skittish behavior had me suspicious. "I wanted to take a walk. There's so much to think about; being here makes it hard." Her eyes grew and she threw her hands, waving them erratically, "N-n-n-not that I'm not grateful, because I am! It's just," she dropped her arms, "Overwhelming, being forced to move like this."

My eyes softened, "Sure. Take Kirara with you." I looked at my bathing buddy, "That is, if you don't mind." At her meow, I nodded, "Then it's settled. You two have fun."

She nodded. Before she walked out, I yelled to Kirara telling her I'd wait for our bath.

Orihime looked back at the home before making her way to the hospital. _I know I said I'd never talk to him again, but I can't just abandon him like that. I want to be able to protect him, too; even if he doesn't need me to. I will protect all my important people._

Before she knew it, her hand had knocked and Uryuu had asked her to come in.

"Uryuu." Her voice was soft, unsure about how he felt about what had transpired earlier.

"Sorry to call you on such short notice. Thank you for coming, despite my behavior from last time." He looked at her apologetically.

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry about Kagome-"

He cut her off, "No, she was right to be angry at how I was treating you. I'm sorry." He looked down as he sat up.

"No, it's really okay. Are you well enough to sit up?"

Looking at her, he smiled slightly, "Yeah, I'm fine like this."

She looked at him nervously, "Ano, I've been thinking...your wound...it'll heal a lot quicker if you let me…" she trailed off, uncertain of if she should finish her thought.

He looked down, trying to figure out the best way to tell her without her thinking he was using her. "You're right. Honestly, I was really shaken up that day. I knew the information I had wasn't enough for a solution. If I was the target, I thought I should put some distance between everybody and me. That's why I was such an ass, but the situation changed. I want you to heal these wounds."

Her eyes grew wide as she asked him to elaborate, "The situation?"

He continued to keep his head down, "Ichigo came in contact with the guy who stabbed me."

Orihime gasped.

Kirara sat unnoticed and forgotten in the girl's arms. Her red eyes narrowed. This was one of those times she was grateful others forgot she was so intelligent. Kagome wasn't going to like this at all. Kirara hated that her pure-hearted and gentle mistress was going to have to fight once again. As much as she loved her, she couldn't stand what had become of her once she entered a battle.

"His reiatsu feels completely different from before, but it's definitely Ichigo's. I don't know what caused the change in his reiatsu, but I can't be lying here doing nothing. You felt the change too, didn't you?"

Orihime thought his question over carefully before realizing that she had noticed the change but had pushed it aside, "Hai, I did feel it...but Ichigo hasn't told me anything yet, so I decided on not doing anything."

Uryuu kept his silence, unsure of what to say.

She continued, "It's just that...if the presence that was with Ichigo was the man that stabbed you…" she looked him dead in the eyes, "...I think, the man who stabbed you is the same person who stabbed me."

Uryuu's eyes grew, "What?"

Kirara hissed, before jumping at the young ningen to catch scent of his attacker, startling both teens.

"Kirara!" shouted Orihime, only to be swiped and hissed at, as she made her way to the boy's injured arm.

Kirara had heard of Orihime's attack and had, discreetly of course, scented her person to identify her attacker at a future time. Interestingly enough, the scent was somewhat familiar, but the neko couldn't quite place from where she had scented if before. Needless to say, she now knew, for certain, the male's scent; and it, in no way, matched the scent on the boy. Though that male's scent was on the boy, it was not the one that gave him his wound. Kirara was right, Kagome wasn't going to like this one bit.

Kirara sat back, studying the boy as he studied her. She could practically hear the wheels turning in his head, with unasked questions, before shaking her head and rolling her red eyes. Ningen really were strange creatures. That koneko got into far too much trouble, if you asked her, not that anyone usually did.

Uryuu could have sworn the neko had insulted him when it rolled its eyes. _Two tails? How odd._

Kirara felt herself being picked up and hearing Orihime admonish her, scoffed. She was a neko! She did what she wanted, when she wanted! Even then, she would only do something if asked or would provide her with amusement. Being centuries old and set in her ways only made her habits that much more amusing when they frustrated others. Didn't people know that? Really, neko were at the top of the hierarchy, and no one would say anything different; no matter how much that blasted pup liked to think he could command her. Kirara put her nose up, arrogant inu! That pup had another thing coming! Mark her words!

Orihime stopped when she realized she was being ignored by the bored neko-mata. "Sorry, Uryuu. I had better be getting back before Kagome gets mad."

He looked at her, "You don't have to take her crap. Nor do you have to listen to her." His tone was quiet, yet sincere.

She looked at him, "I do. Kagome is just looking out for me. I have to make my own decisions and live with the consequences. Following her is my choice. She has so much to teach me, and I really want to learn as much as I can."

He smiled at her, even as her words left him feeling unsure. It had sounded like she had just signed away her soul. "As long as you're okay."

She smiled brightly before nodding and excusing herself.

He watched her leave. She wasn't the same timid little girl he had first met. She had become a strong and beautiful young woman. He felt his cheeks heat up, glad that she was gone so she couldn't see him blush. He'd always had a crush on her, but tried to give up when he saw how hopelessly in love she was with Ichigo. That had burned him more than he would ever admit, not that he could blame the Shinigami. Ichigo just had a way of charming people without realizing it. It's just how he was. Uryuu turned to look out the window to see her leaving with the neko she brought, grateful she was, at least, his friend. If anything, he could be happy being in her life.

* * *

><p>Orihime thought back to the end of their conversation. Her mind was startled out if it's thoughts when Kirara meowed.<p>

She looked up, surprised. "Chad!"

He seemed just as surprised to see her, "Inoue. Were you at the hospital?"

"Hai, I was healing Uryuu's wounds."

After a brief exchange, he began to head in a different direction, "Wait, Chad! Where are we going?"

He looked back and responded, "To where Ichigo is. He'll need your powers in his training."

Kirara fought not to shake her head. Orihime was nearly as bad as Kagome was from before Sesshoumaru, that blasted pup, had gotten ahold of her. Not only that, but these pathetic children couldn't even tell she wasn't a regular neko! Nor that Kanna had been following they since they left the house! Really! How impulsive!

She turned her head to where she knew Kanna was hiding. How could they not notice such an absence in the very air around her?! Really!

A voice startled the girl carrying her, "Hey, who's that girl?"

"This is Inoue."

The presumptuous, squeaky voice replied, "Oh, so this is she?"

Kirara was pulled to a large chest when a face got up-close and personal with her carrier.

"H-hello!"

Orihime's grip grew with the child's taunts, before it was relaxed. "No matter how devastating his injuries are...I'll heal all of them."

Kirara was actually quite proud of how confident Orihime sounded in that moment.

After being taken to a room with another child, there was a strange feeling of being squashed, before being placed in another dimension.

* * *

><p>Kanna's face stayed impassive as she watched them disappear. That she could still feel their auras told her they still lived. She let her essence dissipate as she followed them. The foolish ningen didn't even realize what she'd done. Her mistress' Alpha would be appalled at how weak such "fighters," and she used the term <em>extremely<em> loosely, were.

* * *

><p>"Ichigo!" Orihime cried out as she ran to help him. He looked absolutely horrible! Blood dripping everywhere and clothing torn, he struggled to stand.<p>

His head rose slowly as he heard his name, "O-Orihime?!"

None had noticed her drop the neko she'd been holding; not even the game's master.

* * *

><p>I sighed as I waited for Orihime to get home. Even knowing she was going to visit that boy in the hospital, I didn't stop her. She'd pay for her disobedience in her training, but I couldn't stop her. <em>"Better to ask for forgiveness than permission," huh? So true. How many times did I have to ask Sesshoumaru-sama for forgiveness when I disobeyed him.<em> I put a hand to my shoulder as a phantom pain washed over me from a remembered punishment. _Still, from here to the hospital and back, plus her little healing session shouldn't have taken this long. I have a really bad feeling about this. At least I know Kanna won't get involved; well, not without a direct order. The same can't be said for Kirara, though she is smart enough to let people fight their own battles till they truly need her help._

Stealing a glance at Kiyoshi, I nodded before walking out the door. "Can you keep up?"

He scoffed, "Of course, Kagome-sama. Who do you think my sire is?"

I grinned ferally, before taking off. A whispered, "Good," left in my wake.

* * *

><p>We showed up just in time to see Rukia stab Ichigo with the strangest katana and I couldn't believe the power radiating from it while transferring to Ichigo.<p>

"Kagome-sama." His voice was in awe.

"I've felt stronger. If you are in awe of this strength, then you still have much to learn."

"Hai, Kagome-sama." HIs voice was gravelly, and I could tell his beast was simmering beneath the surface.

_Who am I kidding? The reiatsu is absolutely enormous. And to gather it from so many different people for the sole purpose of giving it to Ichigo, unbelievable. My bad feeling just got worse._

"Do not act unless you must. Do not let your blood-lust override your mind."

I could see him struggle before he answered, "As you wish, Kagome-sama."

"If what I believe is correct, we will soon have to become allies with the Shinigami. Sesshoumaru-sama isn't going to like this. Keep your eyes open and learn as much as you can." My glare frightened him, "You had better not forget that Orihime is one of ours."

I could see him shaking in the weight of my glare, "Of course not, Kagome-sama."

* * *

><p>"Don't be stupid. His Shinigami powers are restored? Just because he regained the appearance of a Shinigami? The transfer of Shinigami powers was successful the first time because he already had Shinigami powers in him. But right now he doesn't have any such powers! 'Cause I stole every last drop from him! Pouring only your measly reiatsu into him while is tank is empty won't help him regain his power!"<p>

"You idiot!"

Kagome completely agreed with sentiment, though no one was around to notice.

"It wasn't just Rukia's!"

A rip in the sky began to open, revealing Taichou and Fuku-taichou alike.

Only one person noticed Kagome's intake of breath as she whispered her mate's name, "Byakuya."

Kiyoshi watched both his lady and the ongoings above.

"Che. this may change things." She frowned,

"Kagome-sama?" He was hesitant. He had grown up on stories of the Warrior Miko. If push came to shove, he knew he wasn't strong enough to stop her. He could only hope she could stay impartial unless something drastic happened.

"My mate is here." Her frown grew.

Kiyoshi nearly cursed aloud. _That_ was _something_ _drastic_. All youkai knew mates fought side by side. He couldn't keep her out of this fight, even if he wanted to.

A huge gust blew in their direction and raised his arms to block but was surprised when a barrier formed around them. _Not that I should be. Kagome-sama is known for her protective and caring nature._ "Amazing. It's so strong." He whispered, "Such an attack."

He heard Kagome scoff and looked up as the enemy spoke.

"Ha! Your Getsuga Tensho is definitely more powerful now! But is that it? What a let-down! That's not enough to kill me, Kurosaki!" boasted the enemy.

Ichigo landed, his face looked utterly bored. "You idiot. That wasn't a Getsuga Tensho. That was just my sword pressure."

Kiyoshi struggled to stay on his feet, gasping for breath, as he adjusted to the increase of reiatsu.

A hand on his shoulder made it all disappear. "If this is your level, I am quite disappointed, Kiyoshi. Stand on your feet. This is nothing and _you_ are _youkai_." Kagome's voice was cold as she released him.

"What the hell is this reiatsu?!" The enemy screamed in fear.

Ichigo's boredom only increased, "Getsuga Tensho."

* * *

><p>"The first Deputy Shinigami, Ginjo Kugo."<p>

"As I feared."

"Kagome-sama."

_At least he seems to have become accustomed to the reiatsu._ "Ichigo's story caused me to have questions. Questions that have been only slightly answered. Focus on this fight. I need to find Orihime. Something tells me we're going to need to rescue her. Foolish child." _Not that I have a right to talk._

Satisfied with the orders given, I took off to look for her, not knowing if Kirara was still with her.

It was pure chance that I had caught them as quickly as I had. It was also as I feared, Kirara wasn't with her, but luckily, Kanna was. I made my way to Kanna to see what would happen.

"What's the matter, you two? Are you having doubts about the past?"

I almost cursed. This was the man that had tried to insert himself into my past. _So he did get to Orihime. He will pay for that. No one messes with people's minds or souls and gets away with it. Mark my words, Tsukishima._

"Tsu-"

"Tsukishima!" Both were surprised to see him look so vicious.

"That's odd. You can't believe your memories? Who saved you from your parents and raised you, Orihime?"

He turned to Chad, "Chad, who gave you that pendant? There were both me. Isn't that right? Yet you two are…"

Ginjo cut him off and his words only served to infuriate me. "Tsukishima! Stop drilling more memories into them! You'll make them useless! You realize how many people you've broken like that?!"

I snarled as the two began to mumble incoherently to themselves. Unable to help myself, I knocked them out, catching them both before they hit the ground.

"Phew. Good, good."

"Wow, and all by herself too."

"I told you I would become your worst nightmare, didn't I?" I could feel a feral grin spread across my face as I fought to keep my own blood-lust under control. _Damn youkai souls._

He growled.

"My, my. You sound like such a pup." I stated in amusement. "If you try issuing a challenge like that, no one will ever be able to take you seriously." Kanna appeared in her large form. "Please, take them to home, Kirara. Protect them and keep them out of trouble," I paused and looked behind my prey, "Kanna."

Tsukishima looked behind him and his eyes widened at the sight of the white void holding her mirror.

"You may use your mirror against all that keep you from protecting them till my return. Although, do not attack my mate, Kanna, or I may be inclined to feel displeased."

Her excitement radiated from her, though her expression remained awfully blank as she followed Kirara.

Ichigo's attacked forced me to jump close to Tsukishima so as not to lose him.

"Looks like we have some good match-ups…" _What is he-_ "Well, then. I'll assign rooms."

I wasn't going to be lose my prey as black walls began to form. Unfortunately, I couldn't hold the girlish giggle when Ken-chan complained about his opponent. Both glad and disappointed that Byakuya hadn't noticed me, I stayed silent. _It seems Tsukishima hasn't noticed me either. Idiots, the both of them. Men are so hopeless._ I could only sigh.

The moon was high in the sky. _How fitting, it being a crescent moon._

"What's the matter? I don't think you can afford to be staring at the moon."

"I was thinking, it's good that I'm fighting you." His voice was just as stern and cold as I remembered.

"Why?" His voice was condescending.

Byakuya looked down as he began his explanation; almost as if he were humoring a small child.

At Tsukishima's conceit, he answered, "I shall cut you down before you take one swing."

I immediately froze at that statement and completely blocked the rest of what happened when I realized one very important, yet equally horrifying, fact. _Byakuya is black-haired Sesshoumaru. The sheer arrogance; not to mention his antagonistic ways. How he looks down on everyone who is not, in his opinion, his equal. The cold demeanor that softens only for those they care about; well, privately anyway._

I fell to my knees and grabbed my head. I could already picture his haughty expression, _the same exact one Byakuya wears!_ It would say something along the lines of: _Of course, Miko. And though it was not I, you settled for the next best thing._ My eyes stung as I felt like crying. _It's like I slept with my Aniki! Gross! To even think of my Aniki in any sexual manner is just traumatizing! Damn rich people and their holier than thou attitude! It's exactly the same as his! Not to mention both are excellent swordsmen! And the Sakura. It represents the both of them. Oh Kami! What have I done? I slept with a short Sesshoumaru! Ew! _ I shook my head in disbelief. _ And they're both nobles. And if Byakuya's attitude is anything to go by, he's the head of his house just like Aniki! How did I not see this before? One Sesshoumaru is enough, but TWO? How am I going to survive? The HORROR! I need brain soap!_

My rant was stopped when I felt myself shaking before I realized it wasn't me, but the ground I sat (sulked) on. Jumping out of the way, I raised a brow at his words. _Inanimate objects, too. An interesting ability to have. Let's see how the mate I've chose reacts before I intervene. _

The words were whispered before I could stop myself, "Safe zone?"

Byakuya frowned, "Who ever said it was a safe zone?"

Tsukishima grinned, though it was entirely too arrogant and, indulgently,he continued, "You did. Don't you remember me cutting you?"

I growled when Byakuya's eyes grew in disbelief. That that man would dare cut my mate, he will pay in blood for his impudence. To mess with a soul in such a way; unforgivable.

Knowing I was going to be forced to interfere, I watched carefully for my opening.

Before too long, my chance presented itself when the petals around Byakuya hesitated for even less than the span of a heartbeat. It was a hesitation that only the most experienced of people would ever notice. _I doubt even Byakuya noticed his own Zanpakuto's hesitation._

A clanging of metal against metal surprised both men.

"What the-" Tsukishima asked in him moment of surprise.

"Hello, Byakuya. How have you been?" I smiled brightly at being able to see him again so soon.

He raised that damnable brow and it almost made me go back to my mental breakdown. _He really is a black-haired Sesshoumaru._

"What are you doing here, Kagome?" His tone was unplaceable.

"He went after a friend of mine, before he went after me. Suffice to say, he has it coming to him."

I pushed Tsukishima away as I turned to look at him. His eyes narrowed as I grinned.

* * *

><p>Byakuya couldn't tell if he was happy to see her again or irritated that she interfered with his fight. Settling for happy, he told himself that he would always be irritated at her later. Right now, he decided to watch her fight. He didn't want to be forced to protect her and himself from that impudent man. She had better be able to back up her words, even though he didn't want to admit to her saving his arm. Zenbonzakura could enter the "safe zone," although it would injured him simply because it was harder to control in such an inclosed space. He really needed to work out that minor detail.<p>

Turning his attention to the battle ahead, he was completely surprised to see her sheath her katana, before pulling out an oodachi.

"I think it's only appropriate to fight you with my zanpakuto." Her grin unnerved the stoic Taichou. He never expected to see her look even remotely similar to their own blood-thirsty maniac.

The oodachi itself was almost twice as she was tall. What had surprised him the most was her calling her weapon a zanpakuto. If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that she had no Shinigami blood in her whatsoever. _If she has no Shinigami blood, how could she have a zanpakuto?_

Tsukishima's narrowed eyes grew only more so at the woman that had nearly killed him. "I owe you for that stunt you pulled on me the last time we met." A dangerous glint became visible, "How fun would it be to watch you two kill each other. After all, you were lovers for a time."

A shiver spread through both men. The laughter emitted from such a cheery looking female did not sit well with either man. "I could never fight Byakuya; not really."

"You think so?" The man's arrogance was astounding.

"I know so. Just as I know that what you tried with my 'Hime and Yasutora-san won't work with him." Her head tilted ever so slightly, but was full of more arrogance than either man was capable of, "You are dealing with things far older and far more powerful than anything you've ever known, if you think you can break him the same as them. My power won't allow it. Even now, it is getting rid of the taint you pushed into him."

A hole through her chest was his plan. Unfortunately for him, Kagome had seen right through him and returned the favor; only her attempt was met with far more success than his.

His blade fell and turned into a bookmark before hitting the ground. She took a swipe at his back before sheathing her blade, a feat that should have been impossible with it's length in proportion to her height.

"Bleed helplessly as you die. Expect no mercy from this healer, for you spared none for her friends." Her tone cold, her eyes hard, and she truly gave no mercy for one who would hurt her friends.

In Byakuya's eyes, Kagome looked every bit an Avenging Warrior Goddess. Her eyes alight with power and her hair floating in the waves of her reiatsu. To him, she truly was the most beautiful sight to behold.

* * *

><p>I could feel his eyes on me and it made me want to blush.<p>

"You never did tell me how you were doing, Byakuya." I smiled as the black walls began to fade.

He sighed, "It has been...busy."

Even to me, he looked stressed. In an effort to comfort him, I began to embrace him as I went to peck his cheek.

His hand at my shoulder confused me. "We could never again be so familiar with each other."

At his formal tone, my confusion grew. "My clan elders have decided I am in need of an heir. My engagement was announced just before I returned to the World of the Living to give aid to one, Kurosaki Ichigo."


	29. Chapter 29: Indeed

Chapter 29: Indeed

I stared at him blankly for a moment, before asking, "Did you say 'engagement?'"

His face was still stoic, "Indeed. The elders have chosen and I will abide by their decision."

I sighed, "Byakuya, I'd hate to break it to you, okay, I lied, I don't hate to break it to you, but even if you marry this girl, she will never bare you an heir."

His eyes grew cold as they narrowed, "Do you truly think I would believe you? I will not be selfish and turn against my clan for a passing fancy. The decision has been made; nor is it any of your concern."

I felt the air around us grow cold in my anger, "She will never bare you an heir for you already have a mate."

I hit him with the broad side of my sword, "Do _not_ walk away from me, _mate._" I spat the word, as the youkai souls within me compounded my anger at his dismissal.

He flew into a building before launching at himself at me. I laughed as I had him pinned, "You are centuries too young to even begin to challenge me, little mate." I couldn't help the slight purr that escaped my throat. He felt far too tempting against me.

He grunted, "Release me, onna."

"Well, when you say it like that," I purred once more, "I don't think I will." I gave a quick lick to his neck.

I thought it amusing when he tried to push himself up, but, despite my size, I wouldn't budge. "Explain this 'mate' you spoke of."

I felt myself give that small chuckled I had come to associate with Aniki when he decided to humor us lower life forms. _His words, not mine._ "Of course. When youkai find one they wish to bind themselves to, they court and if things work out, they mate. Mating, other than the act, is a binding of souls, such as what happened the night we mated. The woman your elders have chosen will never bare you an heir because our souls will not allow it." I sighed. "I am unsure, entirely, of how it works. Even youkai do not understand the mechanics. Although, some see it as a defense mechanism." My eyes grew dim, "There are those that care not for the sanctity of such a union and have no honor. These few individuals will defile a mate simply for the satisfaction of watching the pair suffer. The bond saves the females from carrying a child not her mate's. Same for a male that doesn't give his seed to a female not his mate."

He closed his eyes, "We are not youkai."

"No, but you are a spirit and I have youkai souls and reiryoku within me. Even regular ningen are capable of mating."

"The engagement must be called off if she will not bare me an heir. If we are mated, as you say, then I have no need for a wife."

"Of course not! You have a mate in me." I grinned.

He looked amused. "Of course," he hesitated before grinning as well, "Mate."

I studied him for a moment, "You are taking this a lot better than I thought you would Why is that?"

"If I were to fight this and continue with the engagement, what would happen?"

The more _negative_ aspects of my personality showed themselves, "Then I would simply watch as you and yours crash and burn. The shame and dishonor you would place upon my shoulders would for Sesshoumaru-sama to act. And while that happens, I would enjoy seeing every time you and her would fail in your attempts to conceive, simply out of spite of turning from me."

"Then it is just as well that I have no need for any other, _mate_." I could hear the purr in his voice.

* * *

><p>In that moment, Byakuya was happy and terrified. Although, the far passed quickly, it made it easier to move onto better thoughts. For once again, he was able to take his love as wife. At the same time, he felt horrible guilt, so absolute, at the thought of, once again, forcing a woman he loved to bare the weight of being married to the head of one of the four noble houses.<p>

Byakuya glanced at Kagome, his mate. _Such odd terms youkai use, but they have traditions and ceremonies different from our own. I will be grateful, for they have brought me her._

At his use of the term, he was pleased at the blush it brought to her cheeks.

His thoughts were interrupted, "I'm going to have to introduced you to Sesshou-Aniki properly this time. I have to tell him I have found myself a mate." Byakuya grew amused at her next words, "Not that that damnable inu doesn't already know."

* * *

><p>"Don't you dare, Byakuya. He gets to test you to 'make sure you're-'"<p>

"Strong enough to protect This One's imouto." I froze, "Indeed, you know This One well; to be able to guess his words after so much time apart."

"You have always been predictable to me, Sesshoumaru. Even back then. One must merely know and understand what motivates you. Although, that doesn't explain why you are here...now."

"There was a meeting of the Cardinal Lords. Aside from the usual demand of an heir, they grew concerned at the news of a new foe. if we have another war like that of the Hell born spawn centuries before, we risk exposure to ningen. it is not something we can afford."

I sighed, "I will do my part to help in any way I can, Sesshoumaru-sama." I smiled, "On a good note, my Lord, may I present to you my mate, Kuchiki Byakuya. He is strong and can protect me well." I gestured behind me,

There was no notice before Aniki struck. I could do nothing as my alpha tested my new mate. The battle was over just as quickly as it had begun.

Aniki sneered, having wiped the floor with Byakuya, "He is weak. The half-breed had more strength than this." He looked my way, "Should he ever wish to gain more strength to protect you, I shall train him myself."

"Senbonzakura." A beautiful spiral of sakura petals floated around us, "I am not so weak." His arrogance was astounding.

Aniki did that stupid brow thing. "Hn, we shall see." The battle began anew.

* * *

><p>It took nearly a good hour before the test was over, and once again, Sesshoumaru had wiped the floor with Byakuya. "Yet again, you prove your weakness. You fight like a pup of a mere century. You could never protect her."<p>

He appeared behind me with a claw to my neck, tilting my head as the other made its way, like a band, around my waist.

"Perhaps I should take her as mine." He nuzzled my neck with his nose, "As her Alpha, she will not deny me."

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru watched as the Shinigami grew even more enraged. His beast howling at the thought of a proper fight after so many centuries of being forced in a cage without ever letting loose as was once possible.<p>

Byakuya unleashed his full force, breaking the seal imposed on all Fuku-Taichou levels and above. _Forget authorization, he will not take what is mine. _ "You will not take her, no matter who you are. Kagome is mine." He dropped his zanpakutou, "Bankai."

Sesshoumaru watched as the spaced around them darkened and blade upon blade rose from either side, as far as the eye could see.

"Singei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." He gazed directly into the Daiyoukai's eyes, "Count yourself lucky. Yourself included, only three beings have seen this form."

"Come at me, pup, and prove yourself worthy of my imouto. Be it one blade or a thousand, you will never defeat me. I shall give you one last chance. Draw but a drop of blood, and this win shall be yours." _For the moment_ was understood, even if it wasn't spoken aloud.

The battle had continued for a while after and Sesshoumaru had actually howled when it was finally over.

Amused at the Shinigami for collapsing under the strain of such a battle, Sesshoumaru laughed loud and hard. The joy of battle and adrenaline flowing through his veins. It was now time to break the pup's arrogance, "It has been some time since I have sparred with an opponent so young and sure of his strength."

Byakuya stood, dripping with blood. His clothes were shredded and he had many broken bones.

* * *

><p>Byakuya couldn't believe his ears! "A spar? That was all this was for you?"<p>

The being before him grinned so ferally, he finally understood why Kagome held him in such high regard. The fight that had just taken place had nearly killed him and the male in front of him was not even out of breath.

"Byakuya." He turned to his mate, finding the term odd but right. "Mate, you will never win against my Lord. His entire life has been on big battle. Taking his lands at such a young age, many doubted his ability, so he constantly had to fight to prove himself. You may have been in battles, but not like his; nor as long as his. My Lord, our Lord, is about to hit his second maturity as well. That means that when his tail splits, his power will double-"

"Miko." His tone was cold.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama, but as the mate of your current heir, he has a right to know. I will make sure he can't speak of this to anyone." Her tone was soft and submissive, as was her posture.

He had never seen her life this and he found that he didn't like it.

"Hn."

Byakuya stiffened when something she said finally registered, "You are his heir."

"She is."

Byakuya nodded, "I will return to Soul Society. I have an engagement to cancel."

"Miko-"

"I already talked about it. Mates are a difficult thing to explain. Especially to one who has no knowledge of them. I would know."

"Hn." He glanced at the miko, "You will go as well. The other Lords have decided, based on Kanna's prophecy, that we may need an alliance due to this unknown foe. As you two have, indeed, mated, it is believed a part of said prophecy has already come to pass. Your mating, while unintentional, shall become the very foundation of that alliance."

"Of course, Sesshoumaru-sama. I shall have Daisuke bring my clothes and accompany us. It has been quite some time since I have had need of my assistant."

He nodded, turning his back to them before enfolding himself in his energy orb and taking off.

Byakuya turned to his mate, "We leave as I was scheduled to return. We have orders to return as soon as this squabble is over."

* * *

><p>I rolled my eyes at his use of the term squabble. "Daisuke is quite capable. He taught me how to handle a youkai household and court after all. Let me tell you, both can be more vicious than any battlefield.<p>

* * *

><p>By the time the squabble, as Byakuya referred to it, was over, Diasuke was waiting with Kiyoshi. Imagine my surprise when we found them hissing and meowing at each other in a not so friendly way.<p>

"Silence." Both looked at me with wide eyes.

"Kagome-sama-"

"Daisuke, explain."

He bowed, "Kiyoshi was not pleased to hear that he would not be accompanying you."

"Kiyoshi, you are, first and foremost, Orihime's guard and trainer, are you not?"

"Hai, my Lady."

"Then, where is the problem?"

"Your protection-"

"Can be handled by her mate," Byakuya said in anger.

"Of course." He gritted out.

I nodded, "My mate is a Lord in his own right. Make sure news of his personal status joins news of my mating. Both Kirara and Kanna will be joining us."

"Kagome-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama knew you would feel this way and sent clothes for the void as well."

_Blasted inu! _"Good." I looked at my mate, "Are we ready to go, or must we wait for the others?"

Byakuya opened the gate as Kanna appeared before us. Though she remained completely stoic, I could tell that she was upset at the thought of being left behind.

I held my hand out just as someone landed on my shoulder and head-butted me. "You didn't really think I would leave you bothe behind, did you?"

Kanna, in that moment, truly looked like the child her appearance resembled. "Kanna, you know what it means when a youkai, not Naraku, says you are theirs, right?"

She nodded, as if unsure, "Good, then understand, you are mine. Mine to protect and care for, to tech and guided. This means I will never leave you behind unless it is to protect you."

It took a moment, but when she smiled, it took my breath away at the sheer joy.

"We leave," he took my hand and wrapped it around his arm.

_Stupid males; always know how to ruin a moment._

* * *

><p>Byakuya couldn't help but be amused as his clan elders were outraged at the sight of a woman, not his betrothed, by his side.<p>

"Byakuya-dono! What is the meaning of this?" Katsu screamed in disbelief.

Ginrei looked at his grandson, unable to believe had just occurred. Once again, the foolish child had thrown their affairs into chaos. "Byakuya, you must understand-"

"This will not be allowed!" Hibiki screeched. "You will marry the Ukitake sister and join our families! I will not have you ruin the chance of alliance for a woman of low birth!"

Two growls vibrated throughout the room, scaring all who gathered, save those that knew of their origins.

"You-"

"Daisuke, silence." The men shivered at her cold tone.

"Mate, we have come for a purpose. As..._amusing_...as this is, my Lord has give me a task; one I intend to see through."

The men couldn't believe the audacity of the tiny woman to speak out of turn. Not only that, but her _servant_ dare speak out of turn as well! They were to be silent unless spoken to!

* * *

><p><em>Stupid males! As if they understood anything. The things I do for the people I care about.<em> I rolled my eyes at the stubbornness of males before following Soukyoku's directions to the Sou-Taichou's office.

"My Lady?"

"I can defend my own honor, but thank you none-the-less. Next time, remember, their ways differ from ours."

A glance at the corner of my eye showed his empty hands. _Smart, he left my clothes at the manor. It's a good thing I changed before we met Byakuya's elders._ That same glance told me Byakuya had yet to follow. _Oh well, better him than me!_

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><p>The guards at the door seemed to take their jobs quite seriously. A small confrontation had them pulling out their own, <em>weak<em>, zanpakutou.

Holding a hand to stop Daisuke from doing something stupid, I slowly began to raise my miko-ki. It didn't take much before they passed out and more, stronger, people appeared at our location. One of those people, being the man I was looking for.

The scars on his face weren't the only giveaways. His long, snow white beard and old aura have it away. Though he wasn't as old as many other being I knew, he had plenty of wisdom in his own right.

"Who are you?" His voice, though gravely and aged, was strong and powerful. His age did nothing to take away from his presence.

"A pleasure to meet someone both old and wise, Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni-san." I bowed only slightly, so as to honor my station, before continuing. "My name is Higurashi Kagome. I have come with news and a request for talks from my Lord."

Holding my hand out, Daisuke handed my a scroll. "Before I came, my Lord Alpha bid me to give you this." I held it up, knowing not to relinquish it before we reached his office. Putting said scroll in my sleeve, I continued, "If we may speak in a more private setting, I would be willing to discuss this as much as we are able."

There was a sudden shift in the air, alerting me to the idiot's attack. "Heel." Hearing him slam into the ground made me grin internally; I knew better than to break my mask before my duty was finished.

My grin almost broke free when Yamamoto's eyes had opened and grew wide. "Behave Zaraki-san, or I will be forced to humiliate you once more."

"Damn bitch!" He screamed out as he struggled to pull himself up.

"Zaraki, do not disrespect my mate as such." Byakuya stated as he joined us. Even then, I could tell he still had trouble with the unfamiliar term.

Yamamoto turned and I immediately began to follow; time with Aniki had taught me the subtle differences, since he is much more stoic than the Sou-Taichou.

Once in his office, I took note of the younger man also in the room.

As he took his seat, I quietly place the scroll on his desk and turned to Kanna. "Are you okay?"

She looked at me, "We are not welcomed."

I smiled, "Remember, little love. You are mine." And she was. Despite our past, she was still easy to love once you got passed the discomfort her non-presence caused. "As Kirara and Daisuke are mine."

"Just as Kagome-sama belongs to Sesshoumaru-sama." Daisuke broke in, knowing it would anger Byakuya.

The air grew cold as his temper spiked just as we knew it would.

"Hush now, Byakuya. You now belong to Sesshoumaru-sama just as much as I." I simply scoffed.

"Hn." Byakuya grunted as he tried to ignore the rest of the conversation.

Yamamoto cleared his throat to gain our attention. "This Sesshoumaru. He seeks to gain an alliance through marriage." He went on after noting my surprise. "He claims to have sent his heir to marry. I have but one question: what should happen if I refuse."

I studied the male many years my senior. "Yamamoto-san, may I ask you age?"

He looked as though he began to relax, but I knew otherwise. "I have reached my first millenium only recently."

I nodded, "In all that time, have you ever witnessed a battle of the caliber that youkai fight?"

He grew still. "You do not know the battle for the Gates of Hell, centuries ago. It nearly ripped Soul Society apart. The demented soul that tried to bring hell to earth-"

"Was stopped by Sesshoumaru-sama and his hanyou half-brother. Working together, they brought an end to Sounga and trapped him in Hell. I was there for that battle. It was I that convinced the sons of the Inu-No-Taishou to work point in that was that it was only one Daiyoukai and a single hanyou that defeated the Hell blade. Imagine the carnage and destruction of many more.

"That was a squabble compared to how youkai fight. The Battle of the Shikon No Tama is proof of that."

The air around us grew thick at the mention of that accursed bauble.

"What would you know of such things!" He demanded.

I smiled gently, "I suggest, Yamamoto-san, that you accept his request for an alliance. Our upcoming battle will involve your people as well as ours. If not for that, than accept it for no other reason than to satisfy your curiosity."

He stood abruptly, "I have been around much longer than you or your Lord."

"Longer than I, but not so my Lord. He is coming up on his fourth millennia."

He stood speechless for a moment, before taking his seat once more, "The decision has already been made, has it not?"

I answered carefully, "This war shall happen, with or without you at our side. Do not be mistaken, your people will be involved as was foretold. Better to have one's back covered beforehand than to be unsure if you and yours will survive."

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><p><strong>AN: To my beloved readers, I am so sorry that this unworthy one has not updated in so long. I hope you are pleased with this chapter!**


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